Geeky Attraction
by What I wrote
Summary: "If that theory of yours is correct you must care about me a huge fucking lot." It was meant as a joke but the way Mikan Sakura's eyes widened and the small gasp that escaped her lips made me think that maybe it wasn't.
1. Sore enemies

(Homeless Heart)

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**This is an AU story. There is an _'Alice Academy_' of course, they just don't have weird powers. It didn't really go with the plot, you know- Oh, and I'm changing between Natsume and Mikan's PoV's! I thought it would be fun if you could see the happenings from his side too. I mean, you always sympathise with Mikan and everyone goes on and on about what a jerk Natsume is- let's make this interesting, shall we? (Mischievous laughter... trying to, anyways -,-)

**Summary/**I was sick of being blamed for things that weren't my fault; no, in fact, I was sick of being blamed for things that were _Natsume Hyuuga's_ fault. As soon as these sessions were over I'd get my revenge.

**Full Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most intelligent students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will it's result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**T+ _-(With all the cursing and sexual stuff, eh? ;))_

**Genre/**Mainly love with hints of comedy, drama, and slice of life.

**Words/**1890

**  
01: SORE ENEMIES**

_-x-_

**Mikan's PoV**

I sighed. Some people were just plain cruel, and that was that.

I'd been telling myself this for the past half hour, but it had yet to make me feel any better. It was the truth, for certain, but why did they have to lash out at me? Because I was a bookworm? Or was it jealousy of my close friendship with the chairman's daughter? Perhaps they simply had no reasoning other than that I was there, _beneath_ them and vulnerable to their practical jokes. The last one was the most likely, sadly; I could almost forgive them if they had a reason, yet how could someone who was just recklessly rude be worthy of my forgiveness? That just didn't seem right.

And why did they always have to direct their taunting at me? There were over a thousand other kids at Alice Academy. . . surely, one of them could serve as the butt of a joke every once in a while? A selfish thought, yes, but a true one as well.

It wasn't as though I was a complete lunatic, just because I wasn't popular. Actually, I was just fond of reading, and liked to be the best (A feeling which I, by the way, shared with the popular ones) expecially in school. That was why I was studying! There was not anything weird about it.

At least- that's what I think.

I had always hated the LSR. _Latter of Social Ranking. _Get a grip. Yet a whole lot of the students in the academy liked it. And on top- the populars. The boys and girls everybody idolized, the ones you'd give anything to talk to, be with, get attention from. But they were TABU for normal students. Off-limited, superior, greater.

But, of course, there was one whom I loaded the most among them. One, who called himself _king_, one who thought himself to be better than everyone else, one who was filthy rich, arrogant, and who's ego was so thick, you wouldn't even be able to breathe standing in a radius of two metres from him. He was a git. He was annoying as hell, and he was proud of it.

Natsume Hyuuga. Oh, what I wouldn't give to watch him swallow that sly tongue of his!

Let's rewind and see what happend.

On my way to class I'd noticed this huge gathering of students in the locker room area. Where my locker room was! A goosebump later, I'd shoved my way to the front of the crowd. I saw Hyuuga look mildly surprised as he saw me but then his face split into an evil smirk. Of course.

"Ah, geeky girl. Like my handiwork?" he asked me openly smirking.

I pretended to scan the words he'd written, but was really trying not to cry when I saw what he had done to my poor locker. "Well, it's ok I guess. It's what to expect from a person with no creative sense whatsoever. I'd say it's quite charming, really. Considering who's behind."

"That's because you'd adore anything I do, bookworm. Just don't start kissing it 'til I'm gone," he sneered.

"I feel so sorry for you," I said calmly trying to stop my growing anger from taking control of my voice. "You don't see anything besides your own nose! What do you do in your free time, Hyuuga? Besides looking at yourself in the mirror?"

"That wouldn't be something you'd know anything about, I suppose." Hyuuga drawled arrogantly giving me a scanning-through look.

"Just because I'm smarter than you, you don't have to act like a spoiled little child that thinks he can get whatever he wants if he cries long enough, Hyuuga!" I sneered back in anger.

"Oh, what made you think I thought that? The day you're better than me is the day hell freeze over," Hyuuga's cold eyes met my furious gaze. Seriously, I HATE this guy!

"I hate you, Hyuuga! Leave me the bloody hell alone!!" I wasn't crying yet. I never cry in front of that guy. But I really wanted him to go because I knew I would start crying soon.

"I would if you didn't always get in my way, you nerd." He stated. Hyuuga took a quick look at my locker and then kicked it full force. Needless to say, it was completely messed up now!

"You prick! You bloody prick!!" I yelled at him as he walked away with his friends not sparing me a glance.

My dislike for Hyuuga runs so deep in my veins, I just want to scream my heart out, kick him, throw sand in his eyes!... Just, whipe that smirk of his face once and for all!!

Actually, I had a Crush on Natsume Hyuuga one year ago. That was before he opened his big fat gob.

No really. It's not that I loved him or anything. It's just that you can't help but admire his looks, and intelligence- that's before you get to be on his death list, of course. Back then I remember being quite heartbroken with the fact that he was so popular. _The Prince_, as he liked to call himself. Now all this information may be a bit hard to take in but basically I was a bookworm Crushing on one of the populars and the popular one happened to be Natsume Hyuuga, and he happened to hate my guts.

Which I took little pleasure in finding out.

**Natsume's PoV**

My friends and I set off in the direction of our next class, laughing and joking with each other. The conversation was pretty pointless by the way. We weren't intending to bring about any cosmic displeasure or dare the wrath of the gods. That sort of thing generally doesn't tend to be something one does intentionally, in any case. Few people wake up and ponder ways in which they might manage to get themselves smitten by a lightning bolt.

Though I would have delighted in the sight of Mikan Sakura with her perfect hair completely fried with the electricity and her eyebrows smoking.

For now, however, her hair still remained perfectly in place. "It's no wonder she doesn't have a boyfriend," I sneered as I adjusted the strap of my bag, speaking about the infuriating bookworm we had just parted ways with.

"I don't think there's a girl at this school I would want to go out with less then her," Mochu remarked, then paused, quickly trying to retrace his words and assure himself that they did, indeed, make sense. He nearly tripped over his own feet. Apparently thinking and walking at the same time was a feat a little too advanced for his limited cognitive skills. Ha-ha.

"Not even Hina Makihiro?" Koko asked, referring to a girl that was short, fat, currently stuck wearing braces, and had a right eye that tended to drift in toward her nose every now and again.

Mochu considered this a mount. "Well, maybe if it was just a snog. But to have to sit and listen to that chatterbox Sakura drone on and on about books and stuff? I think I'd rather date that Makihiro then."

"Really?" Ruka sounded surprised. "Sakura is not that bad, you know. It's because you don't like the fact that she's intelligent." He paused to imitate Sakura's girly voice, "_'What do you do in your free time, Hyuuga? Look at yourself in the mirror?'_ -You didn't find that amusing at all?"

"Not really, Ruka," I snapped at him shooting the other two deathly glares when the corner of their lips twisted slightly.

"Aw, come on Natty, admit her looks aren't completely lost-."

"Why are we even having this discussion?" I demanded, disgusted with the turn the conversation had taken. I quickened my pace, taking the lead a step or so ahead of my companions.

"Still a little sensitive over the whole "Romeo" thing?" Koko asked smugly, thwacking me across the shoulders.

"Sod off," I hissed.

"What was that? What do you mean "Romeo"?" Mochu demanded, hated being left out of what appeared to be a very intriguing matter.

"Nothing," I insisted, trying to instil enough fear through the sheer force of my gaze in Mochu's general direction as to silence him.

No such luck.

"Koko laughed so hard he nearly burst into tears." Ruka said, "One of his date's friends overheard some middleschool girls talking about Natsume and his fighting with Sakura and one of the girls said that she thought that, of all the people at Alice Academy, the two of them would be most like Romeo and Juliet, if they ever managed to fall in love, because of their different families and the social tension and everything."

Mochu eyed me critically a moment. "You would be the worst Romeo ever, hands down."

"Thanks, Mochu."

"They were just some stupid middleschoolers," Koko shrugged, "I'm sure the one who dreamed up such a notion was just weird in her head. You know, too many romantic novels and stuff."

"I should hope so. Romeo and Juliet were both complete morons, and their tale is more tragic stupidity then it is romantic," I said as we rounded a corner. "Not to mention the fact that Sakura's a self-righteous little bitch."

"And the whole 'I hate you to the very depths of my soul' thing you two have going on," Ruka added completely unfazed.

"I don't care what these starry-eyed twits say about love," I said with a cold certainty, "You love those who are worth your notice. That bookworm has nothing to offer me."

Mochu and Koko nodded their approval. I smirked, a steely look of superiority as we entered the Dining Hall.

"Nothing in this world could ever make me feel attracted to Sakura."

--

**Author's note/ **I know this isn't the greatest first chapter... but I had a pretty hard time getting this story going! But I promise, It'll only get better from now on. XD


	2. Who's Gayden?

**Geeky Attraction  
Written by (Se)Tsu(Ko)**

**Summary/**I was sick of it. I was sick of being blamed for things that were _Natsume Hyuuga's_ fault. As soon as these sessions were over I'd get my revenge.

**Full Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most intelligent students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will it's result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**T+****

Genre/Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes, and slice of life**  
**

**Words/**3329

**02: WHO'S GAYDEN?**

_-x-_

**Natsume's PoV**

In case you don't know anything about me, I'll let you know just what kind of person you're dealing with. Now I was the type of guy who didn't give a living shit about many things. I cared a little about sport, mainly soccer or basket, and my father and mother, and my friends, too. My studies as well, perhaps. But that was about it. My world was actually rather small with many faceless people living in it that I wished to shove out of my space because I hated them. I do hope one gets the gist that I was a genuinely sexy guy, the kind that shows up numerous times on lists titled: People I Want To Snog; Most Sexy Top Ten; and even Top Ten People I Would Shag Senseless (If I Had The Chance). Yes, I certainly was one of a kind.

"Good morning, Hyuuga-san?" some guy named Dick or something asked me. Because _I_ was in fact the one to tell them if it was a good morning or if it wasn't. No, I'm serious. A lot of guys in my dorm didn't have their own opinion about anything or anyone. Not that I cared, of course. What's a sheep without a Sheppard?

"Yeah," I nodded my head slightly and stretched my back. It certainly _was _a good morning. I woke up by myself after this hot dream about... oh, well, you get the point.

"And you?" There's no reason why I shouldn't be polite. I mean, a leader isn't supposed to gain respect only by force and power and stuff. So I'm playing Mr. Nice-guy from time to time.

He fumbled nervously with a large hat, got one side stuck round his ear, and the other side fell over one eye. "It's alright, yeah, OK. This week, I found the first Liquorice Comfits album. It was never released here before. Japanese import only."

"Great." I don't know what the fuck he's talking about.

"I can copy it for you, if you want?"

"Sure."

"How about you, Hyuuga-san?" he asked again, seemingly nervous with the fact that I'm still talking to him. Actually, I was just waiting for my, so called, friends to get their lazy arses out of bed. And it'd really hurt my image to stand _alone _and wait like some dumbfucked idiot.

"How was your weekend?" ... Which had ended about two days ago. Bravo, Dick.

I couldn't imagine what kind of conversation we'd have if I were to tell Dick about my weekend. He'd probably just crumble to dust if I explained all the clubs I'd been to. Guys like Dick aren't big on that sort of thing; in fact, if I were to confess anything of a remotely personal nature- that I had a mother and father, say, or that I'd been to another school than Alice Academy when I was younger- I reckon he'd blush, and stammer, and ask if I'd heard the new Rolling Stones album or something.

"It was OK." That was the right answer. Not too happy and stupid, not _all_ that arrogant. A nonchalant answer like that was to expect from people like me. If I suddenly began explaining Dick here every detail about my weekend- the poor guy would suddenly be popular. (Never reaching my standards of course, but some of it would come off on him. It's my mere presence, you know?)

Dick nodded. As I said, other students _expect _answers like that.

I inhaled slowly. The dormitory smelled mostly of smoke, and strong cologne (not mine) with no sign of girl presences whatsoever. (Even though I strongly doubted certain guys their manliness) The common room was also dirty and usually overcrowded, partly because that's what I wanted- that was what a guy's home should look like, and I had grown tired of my childhood home that looked as clean and wholesome as a suburban Habitat- and partly because my reputation wouldn't have allowed me to start 'cleaning' the dormitory. ("Pray tell, _what_ are you doing over there? Would you move so I can clean up this messy and dirty place! Uff!"... Can you imagine?)

Dick put a CD on, some West Coast psychedelic thing, and made me some coffee. My friends didn't show up until after three cups of it, which wasn't unusual. Ruka Nogi (All-time best mate through pre-puberty, first shags, fights, and important decisions. No, he's not gay) had held up this 'Nice and friendly guy who you shouldn't mess with anyway' image for over ten years, but that was just how he wanted it to be, he told me. 'Nat, everything is easier, when you're playing it nice.' So that's what he did.

Mochu and Koko were alike in lots of ways, even though they always protested loudly against it. The difference might be that Koko was more of a playboy than Mochu, who have always had a serious problem with girls. Mochu was always the one to get the most detentions out of all of us, and the teachers really loaded his guts, while they actually thought Koko had 'potential' but was only out of reach because he hang with 'the wrong people'. Seriously, Koko scored a lot on his charm, that sneaky bastard.

Mochu came into the common room humming. Actually, 'humming' was the wrong word: he was making that guitar noise that all little boys make. Mochu's just supposed to be seventeen.

"All right boys? Hey, Dick, what's this music, man? It stinks!" he made a face. Mochu intimidated a lot of people, to the extent that other people rarely said a word in his presence. I didn't really care, but Ruka usually got involved when Mochu was being really offensive, so we just watched Dick reach out and turn the music off.

"Thank fuck for that. You're like a child, Dick. You need watching all the time. I don't know why I should do it all, though. Nat, didn't you notice what he was putting on, huh?"

Mochu talked relentlessly, and more or less everything he said is gibberish. I felt my good mood disappear as quickly as it had come. What can I say? My patience just wasn't very good.

Ruka threw himself in a chair next to mine. He was usually very quiet in the mornings, because he needed at least a bucket of coffee before he would come back from the living dead. Koko put his hand into his leather jacket pocket, produced a CD, stopped it in the machine and jacked up the volume. Within seconds the common room was shaking to the bass line of 'Walking On Sunshine' (No idea who made it) It was February. It was cold. It was wet. My weekend had gone. I didn't want to hear 'Walking On Sunshine'. Somehow it didn't fit my mood.

"Turn it off, Koko!" I had to shout, like a lifeboat captain in a gale.

"I won't go up any more."

"I didn't say 'up', you fuckwit. I said 'off'!"

He laughed, and walked through the room, shouting out the lines. Did I mention that it was Koko who _always_ messed with my temper. On purpose, of course.

I turned it off myself, and Koko came back to our table. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want to hear that song."

"That's my new CD. My Tuesday morning CD. I copied it last night, specially." Koko always wore headphones, and he listened to all sorts of music all the time.

"Yeah, well it's _past_ fucking Tuesday morning. You should get out of bed earlier."

"Would you have let him play it if it was morning?" Mochu asked smugly.

"No. But at least this way I've got an excuse." I bit, looking sourly into my cup.

"Don't you want something to cheer you up? Bring a bit of warmth to your miserable young bones?" Koko aid, adding an overjoyed tone just to annoy me further.

"Nope."

"What do you want to hear when you're pissed off then?"

"I don't know. Not 'Walking On Sunshine', for a start."

"OK, I'll wind it on," Koko sighed deeply.

"What's next?" Mochu said, while Ruka drank his fourth cup of pitch black coffee. Soon, he'd come around.

"'Little Latin Lupe Lou'."

I groaned.

"It's The Righteous Brothers." Koko grinned and was cut off by Mochu.

"_Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels'_ version!" You could hear the defensiveness in his voice. He had obviously never heard of the other version.

"Whatever," Koko sighed.

"What?" said Mochu.

"Nothing. I just prefer the other one," said Koko with an eye roll. OK, so maybe it wasn't just me. Koko had a thing for pissing off everybody.

"Bullshit!"

"How can it be bullshit to state a preference?" Ruka asked dryly, still looking like he'd been up all night and pissed, because we'd kept him.

"If it's the wrong preference, it's shit."

Koko shrugged and smiled. "What? What's that smug smile for?" Mochu snapped.

"Leave it, Mochu. It doesn't matter. We're not listening to fucking 'Little Latin Lupe Lou' anyway, so give it a rest." I interrupted sharply.

"Since when did this dormitory become a fascist regime?" Koko asked sourly.

"Since you brought that terrible CD in."

"All I'm trying to do is cheer you up! That's all. Very sorry. Go and put some old sad bastard music on, see if I care," Koko said, sounding offended.

"I don't want that on either. I just want something I can ignore."

"Yeah, because that's just the point of listening to music, right? To ignore it."

"Guys, can we go the the Dining Hall? Hunger's kicking in." Ruka cut our discussion off with a loud voice. I noticed the feeling of a partly empty stomach and decided that it was a good idea. Ten minutes later we opened the doors the the hall and went inside.

My mood got even worse when I caught sight of the bookworm, Sakura and her stupid gay friend, at a table close to the door. Seriously, she had to be doing it on purpose just to piss me off. She really needed to be taught a lesson... Why not now?

**Mikan's PoV**

I pierced my eggs with a fork but didn't really have the heart to eat it this late morning. I sighed loudly and Nonoko shot me an annoyed look over the newspaper, she was currently very engrossed in. To put it bluntly, she would act exactly like and old geezer if you dared interrupt her. Just like my own grandpa, she always felt better when she'd read how terrible things were going for the rest of the world. Yeah, she's wicked, I'm aware.

Hotaru Imai was my best friend. Though she rarely joined us at breakfast, (She's having a more luxurious meal with her father, the principal) she was usually present during class, and lunch and dinner. Any morning, I would be happy with this, seeing she was one of the greediest people I knew, and that she would _not_ let my bacon alone if she were here. I always saved the bacon because it was what I liked best. But Hotaru didn't really care about that, never had. She always did what she wanted to, whenever, wherever. She was a right damn snob, actually. But she had never let me down, and I knew she'd help me if I was in trouble. OR in a bad mood. Like I was now.

Because this certain _somebody_ broke my locker, I had to share with Nonoko and Hayden (Hotaru would never let me use hers) and that wasn't exactly something I enjoyed.

"Mikan, eat your food," Nonoko ordered me. I rolled my eyes, not reacting to her threatening tone. A few seconds later, she violently slammed the newspaper down beside her, and (Did I mention that she wasn't a morning person? Oh, well. There you have it) shot me an icy look.

"Seriously, Mikan, _eat_."

"Why?" I grumbled. "It's not like it matters to you if I feel like eating or not."

"Because it bothers me! I'm used to you opening your mouth and letting everything within your reach slide down your throat like a freaking _python_!"

Now, that wasn't fair! Seriously, I had improved a lot in the two last years. The amount of food I ate daily could always be considered normal. I was about to retort with all that prepared, when Hayden interrupted us.

"God, do you two _mind_? Just because your maturity level is by the size of a spoon, _some of us_ would like a quiet morning."

"A _large_ spoon, though," I said, grinning. Nonoko tried to hide a small smirk of her own behind the newspaper she'd picked up once more, when Hayden spoke.

"Well, what _do _we have here?" I heard an arrogant voice above me. To say that I froze completely would be an understatement. Because I knew that voice. Even though it had never bothered me in the dining hall before. I inhaled sharply to gather all my courage, and raised my head to meet a pair of burning crimson orbs looking down at me.

"Can I help you?" I asked politely despite the fact that I wished to choke him until he died. How I _hated_ being like this. But _no one_ challenged Hyuuga. No one in their right mind would even consider talking back to everybody's raven-haired favourite. And now you might think I was actually one to challenge him, seeing as I _did_ in fact insult him when he destroyed my locker last week. But that was in reality a different matter. I was merely defending myself against Hyuuga's challenge. But _I_ never challenged _him_. Like I said before- no one did.

I noticed the way Hayden stiffened beside me- he was never good at dealing with these kind of things. I mean, situations when you come across pure evil pricks, you know. Hayden is much too nice to _really_ understand what it means to be cruel and loathsome.

Hyuuga sent me a cold smirk. "Having fun with your 'friend'?"

"Actually, I was." Until you came along, you piece of shit!

He sent me another mock-smirk. It irked me to no end! Why was this guy always looking at me like I was infected with some kind of terrible decease? "Well, you see Sakura," his eyes wandered from me to Hayden and back again, "I have a question to ask you."

Without being able to control it my breathing had become faster and I faintly wondered if my brain was getting enough oxygen for I did not reply to his statement.

He asked it anyway. "When you look at yourself in the mirror don't you just feel like finishing yourself off? I mean, you must have noticed," he shrugged casually as if this was merely a civil conversation, "that your slimy and nerdy appearance makes everyone in school want to puke." The smug look on his face was back yet again, and I had to restrain myself from not lunging forward and killing _him_ off right on the spot.

Yet, something still held me back from doing so. He was insulting my face- so what? I didn't need to listen to this pompous brat's opinion. He was nothing to get all worked up about. Actually, why should I care if he found me disgusting- the feeling was mutual anyway.

"No, that thought never really strikes me," I said, doing a good job in hiding the sarcastic tone. Hyuuga's smirk widened slightly and he opened his mouth to say something, when...

"Sod of, Hyuuga," Hayden suddenly said, quite bluntly, I might add. He didn't look at anyone but his food as his fork stabbed another bite. I gaped and then felt stupid for doing so. Instead- I should feel extremely happy that he was defending me. Though I noticed how tense Hayden's movements were.

My head snapped towards Hyuuga to see his reaction. With an unbelievable speed Hyuuga had twirled around to glare daggers at Hayden's back. I noticed how still the dining hall had become.

"Don't even let me get started on you," Hyuuga spat with venom, "Bookworm's little gay-friend. Is it really true that you have a thing for Professor Jinno?"

My eyes that had been looking at Hayden with worry, flew to Hyuuga's mocking face. What the hell did he say??

"Oh, well. Not that _I_ care. See you around _Gay_den." Hyuuga's eyes were painfully cold. Hayden's back stiffened once again, and I could see him clench his teeth hard. I felt very angry, what right did Hyuuga have to talk about Hayden like that? None! None at fucking all!!

He had turned slightly away from us, already on his way back to the 'populars table'. I watched him as he smirked at his friends.

It is said that we have the free will to make our own decisions, carve our own path. However, others say that our lives are pre-determined for us by a greater force, whether that be God, Nature, or a series of coincidental causes that come to fruition in a action and/or reaction, we do not know for sure.

Which is true? I suppose we'll never know. Or it could be a mix of both. Sometimes we are put in situations that are in no way under our control, a situation that has been caused by something, which in turn was caused by something else, that we had absolutely no control, and possibly no knowledge of. But then comes the free will. While in this situation you have a choice to make, this is your chance to change your path, if ever so slightly. Do you take the easy route? Or the hard route? Do you choose to let your path be carved by others? Or do you grab life by the reigns and take control?

When my fingers unconsciously got a strong hold around a cherry pie, and when I a moment later threw it right in the face of Natsume Hyuuga, I think it must have been me taking control of my fate. And choosing the hard route.

--

**Author's note/**As you might have noticed I made Mikan a bit less brave than in chapter one, so she wouldn't stand out too much in the beginning. Meaning, she has _not _challenged Natsume yet. He just doesn't like her, and her feelings are mutual, if not worse. And of course, as everyone knows Mikan shows a very obvious dislike for people who she... dislike. (Ha-ha) You could say, she pretty much wears her feelings for everyone to see. So it's very unnatural for her to not be able to freak out and kick Natsume's ass, when that's actually the only thing she wants to do. This said, her frustration of not doing what falls her natural, makes her explode at one point. And that's what happened when she threw food on Natsume. Now, what will happen to our hero and heroine? (Rolling eyes)

Please post a review, so I know my efforts are not in vain. (Threatening laughter)


	3. Pie is an understatement

**Geeky Attraction  
Written by (Se)Tsu(Ko)**

**Author's note/**Yes it's been a while. I'm aware.

**Summary/**I was sick of it. I was sick of being blamed for things that were _Natsume Hyuuga's_ fault. As soon as these sessions were over I'd get my revenge.

**Full Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most intelligent students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will it's result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes, and slice of life

**Words/**1555

**03: PIE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT**

_-x-_

**Mikan's PoV**

Silence. That was the best way to describe the atmosphere. Everyone was staring in complete and utterly shocked-till-dead silence. Hyuuga turned around slowly. His face came into view. And he looked calm. However, his eyes told a whole different story. They looked absolutely _furious_.

I stared right back, feeling frustration and anger building up inside me and then- it all exploded.

"How dare you? How fucking _dare_ you!"

My voice broke the silence loud and clearly, and a bit off because I had never felt so angry in my life. It was as if it was something like a trance everyone was in that I broke. Suddenly whispers and gasps were heard everywhere, and another loud screeching voice, "NATSUME! Are you okay?" some girl ran up to him and started brushing pie off him- which was quite the impossible task, seeing that the cherry sauce had soaked his shirt and part of his hair.

I could see Hyuuga clench his teeth, his eyes never leaving mine. "How dare _I,_ Sakura? Do you even realize how _fucked_ you are right now?" his voice was cold as ice. It was as if he didn't even notice the people around us- as if they weren't there. His dark eyes boring holes in my soul.

"Oh, is that so? Did I bruise that unbelievable large ego of yours? Were you shocked to find out that everyone doesn't bow down for you, that there's people who won't keep listening to your shit about LSR and how you can't possibly have the right to be happy if you aren't _popular_?" I was practically screaming at him now. It felt good so I continued yelling out all my frustration, "Well, how about this Hyuuga: When I didn't know you existed, when I didn't have to hear your damned voice insulting me every _frickin'_ day- I _WAS_ HAPPY!"

Silence. And then Hyuuga's face lit up in a mocking smile. "Oh? I'm so sorry for you. Let me make it up to you by giving a-" he picked up a really big pie from his table. "-_peace offering_!" I ducked when it came flying towards me. It hit Hayden's back. Hyuuga looked a bit angry at first, but then his face broke into a smirk. "Why Gayden! Happy you could join us, we were just exchanging gifts."

"That's enough, you sorry excuse for a... a _pea_-brain!" my hands clasped around a big bottle of soda and I sent it flying towards the popular table. I had been aiming for Hyuuga, but when the bottle smashed in a thousand pieces, soaking everyone in its wake I couldn't help the large smirk appearing on my lips.

**Natsume's PoV**

"You fucking bitch!" I shouted pushing people out of my way to get to her. She was so very fucking _dead_! At least when I got my hands on her she was.

Who the hell did Sakura think she was to throw a_ pie_ at me? To throw _anything_ at me, really. I mean, I've always known she was completely mental, with her nose stuck in a book and the fact that she was at the absolute bottom of popularity. I think, what vexed me most about her is that she never _cared_ about it. Always trying her best in school as the obvious goody two shoes she is, getting upset when I pulled a prank- but never _actually_ caring about it. No matter what I did or said to her, no matter how cruel and hateful I was behaving towards her- it's like she has this invisible bubble wrapped around her that shields her from any harm. She was there – untouchable, obvious to the harsh world happening around her. The _real _world.

I always drive her fucking crazy, yes. I've seen it many times. But I don't want anger from her. I wanted to blast that fucking bubble of ignorant happiness and make her cry. I want to break her, like I've broken people who doesn't want to learn before. I want her to scream in frustration and pain- I want to feel that my words _reach_ her, reach into her fucked up world of bunnies and flowers and hurt her.

But I hadn't managed. I couldn't break her bubble. I couldn't make her cry. Not truly.

I searched the mass of food-throwing teenagers for her face. And she was there – trying to back away slowly, still in her safety-shell, her bubble intact as always.

"I'll make your life hell, Sakura!" I shouted mostly to the students surrounding me, so they'd make way. I must have made more noise than I realised because she suddenly looked up and met my eyes over the crowd of screaming students and thrown food. Her eyes widened considerately and I allowed myself an evil smirk as I neared her. She looked around for help but her few number of friends were much too engrossed in the foodfight to notice anything.

She grabbed a large bowl of soda and stood there, waiting for me. I sneered but inside I was rejoicing. This was the perfect opportunity. Every student were present, no one could blame an incident on me for no one was watching anyone in particular. It was chaos.

I lounged at her and she threw the bowl but it was heavy and she missed me by mere inches. She pushed herself at me and we fell to the floor, both of us trying to bring the other one down. I saw stars as my head met marble floor with a bang. Sakura didn't waste any time as she placed her hands on my chest, fully intending to push herself off of me, but I quickly grabbed her wrist and rolled around so I was the one on top. I ignored Sakura's gasp of pain as I lay on her with my full bodyweight.

"You're not getting away this time, you bitch," I snarled in her ear. I felt her freeze from underneath me. Her eyes that had deliberately avoided mine were now looking directly at me. They were very brown and very big, and so fucking deer-like it made me sick. And then it occurred to me that she was frightened. Her dumb act of throwing that pie had been completely spontaneous and she had no idea what to do now. She was scared shitless of what I could do to her.

My grip on her wrists loosened and I was so surprised at my own actions that I failed to notice the look in her eyes change. When I became aware it was too late. Sakura's sharp teeth closed themselves around my finger and unbelievable pain overwhelmed my senses.

**Mikan's PoV**

Hyuuga didn't cry out when I bit him and I might have admired him for that, had I not been busy kicking him off of me to get away before he came back to his senses. That, and the fact that he makes me want to barf.

With my heart beating unnaturally fast I stood – on knees that shook more than I want to admit – and ran away from the psychotic person that Hyuuga had just proved himself to be. I threw myself down behind a table chair, hoping it would cover me from view. God, the look in Hyuuga's eyes as he pushed me down will have me lying sleepless for _weeks_. I decided I'd had quite enough of him for one day.

With a quick scan around once more I got up and sprinted across the dining hall, jumping and ducking to avoid getting hit by all the food that was thrown around.

I slipped out of the hall, and continued towards the dormitory – my sanctuary. I'm pretty sure I had a sick number of stars in my auburn brown eyes right then. 'Oh dormitory! I've never been any happier to see you!' I sang inwardly in an overjoyed tone.

This was one of the times when I'm thankful that I didn't sing out loud otherwise people in the building would be deafened by my horrible screeching off-tune voice. Gosh, I'm such a considerate person. And I should be rewarded for that, don't you think so?

As I ran to the doors leading into my dormitory I felt as if something heavy had lifted from my chest. It was out now, I'd finally spoken my mind, anger that had been building up inside of me for so long had been released and I felt free for the first time in a while. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of what Hyuuga might do to me to make me pay for this one. But then I eased up in a small smile. It was worth it. The look on his face had been absolutely priceless.

**Natsume's PoV**

"Mother_fucker_," I curse lowly, my finger throbbing like hell. I looked back and fourth one more time, and was permitted to congratulate myself for assuming correct. Sakura, that little bitch, was gone. "Oh, no, you're not getting away this time," I sneered, dumping the food I had in my hand on some brainless idiot, and following the route I knew she'd been taking – towards her dormitory.

**Author's note:** Yes, I am sort of back in the fanfiction world (Hurray!). I hope you guys are still reading it, even though it's been this long :-/ I just woke up one day and thought: hey, you must be the only one who feel satisfied with the story because you already _know_ what's going to happen in it and how it's going to end, but _nobody_ else feel that way, cause they can't, you know, read your mind... (I'm such a genius) So there you go.

Answering some comments/questions:

**get lost reality**: Well, in the beginning of this chapter I've tried to explain why Mikan provokes Natsume without really doing anything (Haha). Natsume just isn't used to someone being so "unaffected" my him.

**Mademoiselle Mirage:** Yes, I too have thought a lot about the PoV's but I've reached the conclusion that both Mikan and Natsume's PoVs have to be there. Later on, there will be happenings that I can't write if they aren't both telling their side of the story ;-)


	4. Do I look naked, Professor?

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**A lot of you guys keep wondering about Natsume and Mikan's relationship. Have they got a history, you wonder. But seriously, they don't. I've been trying to show – through Natsume's thoughts – why she annoys him so much. We all have people who annoy us, who gets on our nerves. The difference is that Natsume is used to acting on his feelings, having never been told that he couldn't. I think that Natsume also feels that Mikan is someone who won't put up with his behaviour – and that pisses him off even more. But OTHER than that, Mikan reminds Natsume of someone of his past... :-) (Oh, the suspense!)

**Summary/**I was sick of it. I was sick of being blamed for things that were _Natsume Hyuuga's_ fault. As soon as these sessions were over I'd get my revenge.

**Full Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most intelligent students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will it's result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might remind you of love.

**Words/**3570

**04: DO I LOOK NAKED, PROFESSOR?**

_-x-_

**Mikan**

I turned on the shower with a content sigh. Never had it felt this good to take a bath. I began washing remnants of pie off of my arms and my back where a particularly nasty one with jam had hit me. It shocked me to see that where Hyuuga had grabbed my arm a mark had appeared, turning redder and redder by the minute. I rubbed it angrily.

What had been his problem anyway? As I distinctly remembered _he_ was the one to start the argument, _he_ was the one to provoke me in the first place! I turned of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body. I'd have to apologize to Hayden and Nonoko later. Especially Hayden. He'd been the one to defend me even though I know how much he hates conflicts. I smiled a little. Even if my life was going to be hell from no on because of Hyuuga I knew that I had a couple of amazingly loyal friends.

I opened the door to my room with renewed energy – and screamed.

**Natsume**

The only positive thing I can think of about this school is that it's so easy to pinpoint exactly where the one you're looking for lives. There's these large boards outside every one of the dormitories where every name of the people living in it is written – and which room is theirs.

I slammed the door that had Sakura's name on it open, ready to continue whatever the _hell_ she started in the dining hall when I noticed that she isn't there. Now, that just pissed me off even more. I kicked a book lying on the floor with anger – how typical of her to have books sticking out in every corner, I snort. Her bookish tendencies was one of the first things that annoyed me about her.

I sat down on her bed, fully intent on waiting for her to return to her room, and accidentally smeared pie on her sheets. This is when I become aware of my current state of complete humiliation. I've got pie and soda all over my shirt! A pathetic gasp escaped me before I could stop myself and I quickly proceeded to take off my greasy shirt, failing to consider my current location but simply deciding that the shirt shouldn't stay connected to my person even for a minute longer.

As I drag the culprit over my head I hear a massive scream.

"What are _you_ doing here?" and it's a girly voice. It's this amazingly shrill voice that hurt my ears and I immediately hated it and when I turned towards the unwelcome sound and saw Sakura I knew why.

For a short, short moment I was aware of her lack of clothing. Then I looked at her face and the only thing I wanted to do was punch it.

"Look, you little bitch," I sneered, nearing her with murderous intent.

This is where the door decided (well, the door didn't decide anything. Inanimate objects usually decide shit. But you get the point) to open revealing two of my least favourite teachers. They looked absolutely shocked by the sight of the two of us and from Sakura's expression she wasn't pleased with the situation either.

"I... I can explain." Her horrified whisper triggered a laugh from me.

**Mikan**

"Miss Sakura," Professor Jin-Jin greeted coldly, as my cheeks burned with the shame I was feeling.

"H-h-hello Professor," I stammered, trying my hardest to ignore the sound of Hyuuga's harsh laughter in my ears… naturally, I was failing miserably. I didn't know what to do with myself; apologize, act like nothing was happening, sit down next to Hyuuga… I doubted I could even manage the latter, considering that I couldn't bear to look him in the eye.

"We came to have a serious word with you about your fellow student. But seeing as said fellow student is already here..." professor Narumi said with badly concealed amusement.

"Why don't you sit down, Sakura?" Narumi asked me nicely. I sank into the chair next to Hyuuga, whose laughter was beginning to subside, though from the sneak glance I'd taken he was wiping away tears. That bastard. "From the state of undress of both of you-"

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" I blurted out, looking over at Hyuuga accusingly. I'd only just noticed that his rather muscular chest was in fact on view… what? I can hate a guy and admire his perfectly chiselled chest too! He raised an eyebrow at me. "It was a rhetorical question."

"Rhetorical or not, I believe I should be asking the questions here!" Jin-Jin said, nostrils flared. "You have broken two of the school rules tonight-"

"One actually, Professor," Hyuuga corrected and I had a feeling he was acting like a smart arse on purpose.

"- I can count, thank you Mr. Hyuuga, and there are 2 rules that has been broken. First, you yell and pull pranks at each other coursing a huge food fight in the dining hall, and then we find you in such a state of undress that I cannot do anything _but_ assume that you were in the middle of sexual-"

"What?" I interrupted, "I am NOT responsible for his lack of clothing!"

"Exactly, Professor, I undressed myself; Sakura was already in the shower," Hyuuga said, smirking, pretending to drape his arm over the back of my chair.

"No, no," I tried to explain, shaking my head frantically. Oh my god, WHY was he doing this? It wasn't that I was particularly bothered about Jin-Jin writing to my parents (Grandpa was hardly someone to be scared of and Mum would be congratulating me) but I did not want teachers thinking that I was some sort of _scarlet woman_. "I haven't seen Hyuuga since-"

"We had a wild romp in the shower…"

"Precisely," I nodded. Then realised what he'd said. "No! We didn't- I wouldn't- I'm only 18! I mean, I-"

"Then why are you only wearing a towel?" Professor Narumi asked curiously.

"WHY is it such a crime to be wearing a towel in my own dormitory?" I scoffed, forgetting who I was talking to, "Would you prefer that I wasn't wearing one instead?"

"Sure, Sakura, that would _really_ make my day," Hyuuga drawled ironically. "Mr. Hyuuga! Such blatant disregard for the respect of teachers will not be tolerated by myself nor any other professor." Jin-Jin declared angrily.

"But-" I persisted.

"No."

"I-"

"No."

"Why-"

"No."

"Prof-"

"No."

"You-"

"No."

"I-"

"No."

"Hyuuga-"

"No."

"Pl-"

"Maybe you should just stop talking," Hyuuga suggested unhelpfully, his arm still lying annoyingly on the back of my chair.

"Maybe _you_ should be trying to get us out of this mess!" I retorted, my eyes anywhere but on his chest.

"Me? I'm not the one in a towel!"

"No, you're the one topless!"

"Been looking have you?"

"_No_," I said, lying through my teeth.

"ENOUGH!" Jin-Jin shouted, making me jump; I had to grab Hyuuga's chair to stop myself from toppling backwards over my own. I'm _sure_ it's not normal for someone to be so jumpy… maybe I should go to the hospital wing after all this… hey, if I waited until tomorrow morning, I could miss Jin-Jin's class… good thinking, Mikan, good thinking… "MISS SAKURA!" I jumped again,

"Yes?"

"Are you listening to me at all?"

"… Yes."

"What was I just saying?"

"You know, funny story… I was sitting here, minding my own business, hanging onto every word you said so that I could use your priceless advice in later life, when an eagle flew by the window and… erm… offered me a… rainbow coloured doughnut… at a very erm… cheap… price…" I faltered; there was no way that Jin-Jin was going to believe that an eagle would be flying around the Academy! God, I sucked at lying.

"You mean you weren't listening?"

"No, no! I was but then the eagle came…" I stopped and bit my lip, "… a-and I wasn't listening."

"I thought so," Narumi sighed heavily. He was massaging his temple in the way that teachers do when they're wondering why on earth they ever chose to take their particular career path. He didn't seem to know what to do with us; can't say I would have known either in his shoes. He looked up at us and surveyed us with an intimidating look… well, it intimidated me, anyway, "Give me your hands."

"Professor, harming students is against the law," Hyuuga said, smirking, and I closed my eyes, unable to believe how much of an idiot he truly was; it was like he wanted us to get a detention!

"Give. Narumi. Your. Hands." Jin-Jin snarled. I looked anxiously over at Hyuuga, whose cool exterior seemed to be wearing off fast. Hesitantly, I placed my hand, palm way up, on the wooden desk. It took Hyuuga a little longer but he eventually put his hand down too. "Now let's see..."

I jerked my head away; my eyes squeezed shut and flinching. Whoever said I was over-dramatic? I waited… and waited… and nothing happened. I opened my eyes a fraction. That was weird; no head-splitting pain…

"Phew, that was a close one," Hyuuga said sarcastically and his cocky smile returned. Unfortunately.

"OH, SWEET JESUS!" I shrieked, my eyes beginning to widen with fear.

"What?"

"Look! Look at our hands!" Hyuuga shot me an annoyed look, before glancing down at the table.

"WHAT THE FUCK!"

"MR. HYUUGA!"

"What have you done to me?" Hyuuga asked in horror, staring at our linked hands with disbelief.

"It's only temporary," Narumi stated lightly, getting to his feet and sweeping the papers off his desk and into his arms. He walked over to the filing cabinet and began to sort them into their appropriate drawers… he was doing all this so calmly, yes, CALMLY… you see the thing you have to bear in mind here is that I had just had my hand bound to the hand of one of the people I disliked most in this world by a professor, who thought I had just had sex with said hated person. Hmm, so you can probably imagine how I was feeling at that moment in time.

"What? You're joking, right?" I said, a shrill laugh somehow managing to escape my lips.

"Why on earth would I be joking, Mikan-chan?" I've always liked Narumi-sensei, but I swear at that moment I was ready to _murder_ him!

"Because you have to be!" I exclaimed, the desperation beginning to kick in, "You CAN'T leave me stuck to him!"

"It's only for tonight and I believe this it is the appropriate punishment when it comes to this particular rule breaking," Narumi replied. There was a light threat in his voice.

"Appropriate punishment?" Hyuuga joined in, unconsciously moving his chair closer to mine, "This is ridiculous!"

"Sir, I must protest! This is inhumane! HYUUGA 24/7! You must be insane to think-." I said only to be cut off by Hyuuga.

"You're hardly a walk in the park either, Sakura!" he sneered.

"I've heard all I have to hear. Detention to both of you." Jin-Jin declared.

"Does this mean you'll unlink our hands?" Hyuuga asked hopefully.

"NO!" Wow, I'd never seen a teacher looking so pissed before.

"It was worth a try," I muttered to myself.

"You will both be meeting up in the dining hall. It is now 7:30pm, so I expect you to have all four walls and the floor sparkling clean by 9:30pm."

"You want us to clean the _entire_ hall in just two hours? And while we're handcuffed as well?"

"Of course. After all, it _was_ the two of you who started that ridiculous food fight. Besides, it's part of some sessions I'e just thought off that will take place to help the two of you get along." When Narumi pointed out this very, very big problem, I almost fainted.

"I'm doomed!" I wailed in despair.

"It could be worse," said Narumi.

"HOW?" I exclaimed, "HOW exactly could it be worse? This is Natsume _Hyuuga_! I... I can't even imagine a punishment worse than this!"

"You should be happy, Sakura," Hyuuga snapped. "Imagine what people would think if they saw me with the likes of _you_!"

"Well, you aren't wearing a frickin' towel!"

"True but those are the consequences you must pay for your glorious shag…" Hyuuga shook his head in mock disappointment.

"I did not shag you! I didn't shag anyone but if I was going to shag someone it would certainly not be you!" I shouted, glaring at Hyuuga, all traces of humour that I may have been feeling about the whole towel situation long gone. I was sick of being blamed for things that weren't my fault; no, in fact, I was sick of being blamed for things that were _Natsume Hyuuga's_ fault. I was not going to put up with it any longer… as soon as these _stupid_ sessions were over and done with, the sooner I could decide the best way to get my revenge.

Natsume

To say I was annoyed would be an understatement. I was furious about this ridiculous deal, I felt like strangling someone. And the nearest person would be Sakura at the moment, as we were walking towards the dining hall to clean it (something I still had no idea how to get out of) but I seriously doubted the teachers would approve of me doing that, since Naru's new task in life apparently seemed to be making my life hell. Which was easily done with Sakura placed forcefully in it.

_'The handcuffs are only for tonight,'_ he had said. I really doubted that. If life had showed me anything, it was that you couldn't trust anyone- especially not teachers. Which would probably mean I'd be stuck with that insufferable bint for a while.

"This is the worst bloody day of my life!" Sakura wailed beside me trying to wriggle her hand out of the handcuffs. As if it was going to work.

"Shut up, Sakura. It's not like _you_ will get a problem with this. Actually, being seen tied to me might even help you get a friend or two," I sneered.

"I already _have_ friends, you dolt. And I don't need any advise from the likes you," she replied haughtily.

I bit back a retort. This wasn't going to be easily fixed. "I would prefer if this whole 'session' thing was kept a secret," I said trying to sound nonchalant about it.

She snorted. "And why would I want to do _you_ that favour?" Sakura shot me an icy glare. I gritted my teeth.

"_Myreputationisontheline_," I said in one breath.

"Pardon?"

"My reputation. Is. On. The. _Line_," I said calmly trying to make her sympathise with me.

"Really now?" she sniggered.

"I suppose you're not going to look at this from my point of view?" I snapped.

"And I suppose you're not going to be any more civil towards me than you usually are?" she shot back. We both knew I was trapped.

"Fine_..._ _Sakura_. What do you want in return?" I squeezed out between clenched teeth.

A slow smile formed on her lips as she spoke, "I want you to quit."

"Care to explain?"

"_To quit_, Hyuuga. _Stop_ talking to me in public. Stop your bullying, swearing, mocking, discriminating, prick-acting towards me and my friends!" Her voice had reached unbelievable heights and I was quite certain I'd never heard a more irritating tone from a girl before.

"Really, Sakura, you want me to be _kind_ to you? That's a bit much to ask for, don't you think?" I sneered at her.

"Wrong! I want to be invisible to you. When you pass me in the corridors I want you to act, as if you've just passed a wall. When you see my stuff, or my, should I say, _locker_... I don't want you to do anything. I want to be fucking _non-existent_ to you in public, okay?"

"... Sure, Sakura. No need to get all worked up. From now on you wont speak about the sessions and I wont talk to you in public. Deal?" I said nonchalantly, though I was a bit shaken up. (She wanted to be a freaking wall?)

"You have to promise me, Hyuuga."

I sighed dramatically. "Fine. I promise on my reputation that I wont speak to, annoy you and all that other stuff - in public, anyway. Convincing enough?"

"Yeah," Sakura snorted. "When it's your glorious reputation, then you must really mean it."

Mikan

Hyuuga's jaw clenched tightly as he gritted his teeth to stop himself from talking back. I couldn't suppress a grin from spreading on my lips at the small triumph that meant shutting Hyuuga up. I felt a little better after having dressed, a little less vulnerable. But it didn't change the fact that Hyuuga had seen me in nothing but a towel – something which pains me to say no other boy has ever even been close to see. And this isn't because I'm a prude, it really isn't. I just take much pride in the fact that I'm not some easy slag that sleeps around and am as a matter of a fact _saving_ myself for a special someone. I just didn't have the faintest idea where he was. Tragically.

"Hey, Mikan!" I turned my head in time to see Hayden and Tsubasa running towards me.

"Oouufh!" was everything I managed to say as they both threw themselves at me and tried to squeeze out my life.

"God, we were worried," Hayden said.

"Hey, you, step back, will ya? Wouldn't wanna hug _you_ by accident." Tsubasa stared Hyuuga down with a heated glare. I patted Hayden's back awkwardly with the hand that wasn't handcuffed.

"That would never happen, I'm sure," Hyuuga replied with assumed indifference and I watched the corner of his mouth curl downwards.

I knew he and Tsubasa'd had the occasional quarrel but I never suspected the two of them to show such obvious dislike when facing the other. Oh, well. Not that it was any of my business... or maybe I would just ask Tsubasa about it later.

"Are you all right, Mikan?" Hayden asked with slight worry and gave me a quick scan.

I sigh deeply. "I'm _fine_." Although I wasn't feeling fine at all.

"We can see that but we wanna know where the hell you've been!" Tsubasa turned towards Hyuuga. "Well, do you _mind_?" he said angrily. "This is a private conversation!"

"I'm completely convinced that Hyuuga would leave right this instant if it wasn't for a tiny winy problem," I added drily and raised my hand – and hereby also forcing Hyuuga to raise his – showing them the handcuffs.

"Oh."

"Intelligent responses as always I see."

"Shut up, Hyuuga! Nobody's speaking to _you_!" Tsubasa cried.

"As much as it pains me I _am_ involved in this ridiculous ordeal seeing as the one who's fucking handcuffed to Sakura is me."

"Well, the thing is," I quickly interrupted, "that we have a detention that we have to finish in two hours time so..."

"I'm guessing the dining hall?" Tsubasa grinned at me, forgetting about Hyuuga for a short moment. I pretended to scowl at him.

"But I still don't get the handcuff-part," Hayden asked looking worried still.

"Oh! Well this is because professor Narumi thinks that Hyuuga and I don't get along and that- AUCH!"

Hyuuga pinched my hand hard. Whoops, I'd almost let the part about the sessions slip. But it wasn't like Hyuuga was especially great at keeping his end of our deal. So far he'd insulted all of us at least once. But I guess his insults weren't as harsh as they usually were. Maybe he really was trying to act decent... Oh, who am I kidding.

I shot him a dirty look and rubbed my hand carefully. "As I was saying, professor Narumi handcuffed us. Sort of like an extra punishment because he _knows_ we can't stand each other. You know how sadistic he can be."

Hayden and Tsubasa shared a look. I knew it, they were suspecting something. I always was rubbish at lying.

"Right, well, we'll stay with you, then," Tsubasa said, eyeing Hyuuga mistrustingly, "To make sure this ponce doesn't do anything stupid."

"Right, Andou because _I_'m the one in this little quartet who is known for his stupidity." Hyuuga said sarcastically.

"Sod off, Hyuuga," Hayden said.

"Guys, just lay off it. I'm not in the mood." I said tiredly.

"But, Sakura you're _always _in the mood." Hyuuga spat.

"_Sod off!_" Gayden repeated, this time his voice held venom.

I rolled my eyes. This was going to be a bloody _long _night…

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	5. Doomed in detention

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Yes, someone pointed out a typo in chapter three, where I, from Mikan's point of view, wrote Hayden's name with a "G". The reason for this, is that the ending originally was written from Natume's point of view, and I bet you guys already noticed that Gayden is his nickname for Hayden – it's a pun he came up with in the second chapter ;-)

**Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most "problematic" students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will the result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might remind you of love.

**Words/**3936

**05: DOOMED IN DETENTION**

_-x-_

**Natsume**

My head was pounding. I've rarely felt this shitty after a regular school night. But wait, it wasn't a regular school night yesterday, was it? I groaned loudly not caring who heard as I took a sip of my coffee while vaguely recalling unwanted memories from the night before. Being handcuffed to Sakura... something about cleaning up food... and a constant stream of threats and stupidity from her two male friends who'd decided to "help" clean the dining hall. I didn't really talk to Sakura as we performed our cleaning duty. It seemed as if we'd both reached the conclusion that the sooner we were done cleaning, the sooner we would be rid of the other. And this would all go much smoother if we didn't talk. I did trip her one or two times though, couldn't help myself, and her furious glare as she fumbled around on the ground kept me from going completely bonkers. But other than that it was all in all a terrible evening.

Then I remembered drowning everything in alcohol when I got back to my dormitory after a cheery Naru finally came and unlocked the handcuffs at 10 pm while informing us about the first of our "sessions" that would apparently soon take place. God, I suddenly have a reason to hate my life.

"Nice morning, isn't it?" Koko said. I didn't even bother with an answer. 'Nice' was maybe the last word I'd use to describe this particular morning. I don't even think Koko did it on purpose. I'm afraid it's just the way he is.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?"

"Nothing," I said slowly trying to curb my rising temper.

"All right," he rolled his eyes and sat down at the table. "But recently you've been acting as If the stick you have permanently stuck up your ass has gotten bigger or something." I made a face at that comment. Koko looked thoughtful. "Are you sexually frustrated or something?"

"What? No!"

"Because I distinctly remember _telling_ you to come with me two nights ago when I said I was going to the pub, right? But you didn't want to, you had better things to do, you said."

"Look, that's not-"

"And look at you now. Because you haven't had a decent fuck in a while you're all grumpy!"

"Koko!"

"What? I'm right, aren't I?"

I took a deep breath to calm myself. "I am _not_ sexually frustrated. I'm actually _anything_ but that, all right? Now would you just stop talking for a fucking minute?"

Sometimes I really have to wonder if we even speak the same language. "What the hell is wrong with you then? It's not as if you're normally a bundle of joy but this mood beats every record!" Koko continued while pouring tea in his mug.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"So we'll just sit here, not talking?"

"Yeah." He was finally getting it.

"Know what?" Koko said with barely contained glee. "This the perfect occasion for 'Walking on Sunshine'!"

"Don't!" I snap.

"Well, _somebody_'s being a prick."

"_Somebody_'s about to get this mug stuffed down their throat if they don't shut the fuck _up_!"

"What's cookin'?" Mochu asked as he and Ruka entered the kitchen.

"Nothing really. Nat was just telling me how _great_ he thinks this morning is, how he's _not_ sexually frustrated, absolutely _nothing_'s got his knickers in a twist and that he's sorry and would _really_ like to listen to my songs." Koko could be very sarcastic at times and I didn't appreciate it. I almost never appreciated it, but this was really the last thing I needed this morning.

"Dude, it's not your songs," Mochu made a face. "You didn't write 'em."

Koko shot him a look. "Well, you didn't make that sweatshirt you're wearing either but it's still yours, isn't it?"

"That's not the same thing at all!"

"Of course it is. These are my song, they're all from CDs I've bought with my own money-"

"Your daddy's money!"

"-so of course they belong to me, fuckwit."

"You dick! Haven't you ever heard of this little thing called _copy rights_?"

"Do you guys _mind_?" Ruka's sharp voice cut through their ridiculous chatter. "No one bloody cares!"

"Please, just because you got in late last night, doesn't mean you have to act like such a girl," Koko snorted and got up to play his CD. "Actually Natty's acting like a downright bitch as well."

"Yeah, and after that thing in the dining hall you were fucking _gone_ all evening!" Mochu added. "What were you doing anyway?"

And now they were looking at me all three of them with something akin to interest showing on their faces. This was were I decided I'd had just about enough. I'd had the lousiest evening ever, a hangover that beat all previous records and I felt so sleep deprived that I considered skipping all lessons and just try to erase this day from my memory. I stood abruptly from the table and walked out of the door to the first tones of 'Walking on Sunshine' playing. God, the people I call my friends...

**Mikan**

"Seriously, would you get your butt out of bed already?" Nonoko sounded irritated. I just let out a grunt and pulled my sheets over my head. Hotaru let out a snort from behind her book in the chair she'd claimed as her own as soon as the two of them had entered my room.

"Hayden's here, you know. And he seems in an awful hurry to see you." Nonoko shot me a suspicious look. "Just what were you guys doing yesterday anyway?" I ignore her as she sits down on my bed disturbingly close to my head. "You guys weren't... shagging, were you?"

"Eew," I made a face at her. She raised her eyebrows in question. "No! I mean... no, we didn't- of course not!" She sighed in defeat and lied down next to me.

"You are _so_ boring."

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not!" She pushed me hard and I fell on the floor with a loud thud. "God, woman! _You _shag him if you're so interested!" I yelled.

"Shag who?" Hayden asked as he entered my room after knocking two times, a curious look on his face.

"_You_," I replied sourly rubbing my aching shoulder were it hit the floor.

"_She_'s the one who wants to!" Nonoko accused.

"You're the one who brought it up in the first place!" I claimed.

"Well, the both of you are always welcome in my bed," Hayden grinned and sat down on my bed. "Hotaru as well, of course."

In response she merely rolled her eyes and glanced at her watch. "I've got classes. See you idiots later."

"Oh! Me too," Hayden exclaimed. Nonoko stood with him and grabbed the bag she'd earlier thrown by the door.

"Hey, wait! I've got classes too!" I panicked. "And I haven't even... My clothes- where's-... I'm-"

"Calm down, airhead. Just hurry it up or we will leave you behind," Hotaru stated. I threw my sleeping t-shirt off and then noticed Hayden staring at me.

"Get out!" I yelled while covering up my half-nakedness with a pillow, and he immediately jumped up and ran towards the door with Nonoko following after (they shared this class). I swear, that guy...

"Oh, we're _late_, Hotaru!" I wailed nearly tripping down the last part of the stairs but managing to get a hold of Hotaru's hand which she shook off immediately.

"Clearly, you aren't capable of walking and talking at the same time, Mikan, so would you just stop trying?"

I was about to reply when I heard loud footsteps behind me. Turning around I came face to face with one of Hyuuga's friends – I think his name was Ruka Nogi. I'd never had an actual problem with him, he seemed like a good-natured kind of guy. I can't for the love of God figure out why he would be friends with an arsehole such as Hyuuga.

"Oh! Mikan Sakura, right?" he stopped and grinned at me, and I have to admit that I had to catch my breath for a second – his smile was gorgeous. "I'm really sorry about that incident with your locker. I hope it's been fixed?"

He looked at me expectantly and I snap out of my daydream. "I've got a new one, if that's what you're referring to."

"Something like that," he shrugged and then noticed Hotaru standing beside me and looking pointedly at her watch. "Ah, I'm keeping you, aren't I? I'll see you later then, Mikan and...?" he looked towards Hotaru.

"Imai," she said cooly.

Any possible answer was drowned in a loud voice coming from the top of the staircase. "Mr. Nogi! Are you down there?"

Ruka's face flushed as he looked around in panic. "Seriously, where can I hide?" he whispered anxiously. "This is a bit hard to explain but I _really_ don't want to see professor Serina right now and-"

"You're an idiot," Hotaru interrupted his rambling. Ruka looked at her and managed to blink only once before Hotaru grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him behind a nearby corner.

In the next second, professor Serina stood before us looking out of breath. "Ms. Imai and Ms. Sakura," she nodded. "The two of you haven't seen Mr. Nogi around, have you?" I shook my head furiously, knowing she would see through me as soon as I opened my mouth to speak.

Hotaru looked like she hadn't a care in the world. "We haven't." One of these days I'll ask her to teach me the useful act of lying convincingly.

"Damn," professor Serina said, forgetting herself. "I wanted to ask him to teach some of the younger students! Oh, well. I'll have to keep looking... Shouldn't you girls be in class right now?" she asked suspiciously.

"On our way!" I exclaimed, almost making a soldier salute, but stopping myself in time. Somehow I don't think the professor would find that gesture amusing at all. She gave us a curt nod and then began climbing the stairs once again.

I awkwardly cleared my throat. "Uh, she's gone now."

A red faced Ruka Nogi stepped into vision and took a step towards Hotaru.

"Why did you save me?" he asked breathlessly, his eyes practically glued to her face like he'd never seen her before.

"You remind me of a puppy I once had that pissed all over the carpet, but I kept him anyway," she shrugged.

"A puppy?" he looked thoroughly put out.

"Yes, and now you're annoying me with all your questions. We are late for class. Mikan?" she turned towards me with an expectant look. "See you," I said to Ruka and send him an encouraging smile that he didn't return. Then I hurried after Hotaru as she began walking away with long strides.

**Natsume**

The first class was a lecture about some subject that didn't interest me. I reserved one of the seats in the back of the large lecture room that fit almost all senior students. Perfect. This meant the teacher wouldn't notice if someone – a.k.a myself – was taking a well deserved nap.

I assumed a comfortable position and closed my eyes...

"Mr. Hyuuga! Ms. Sakura!" a sharp voice woke me. "This is outrageous – sleeping in class! The two of you will stay after the lecture," professor Serina said angrily. Well, wasn't this just great. I threw a disinterested glance towards Sakura. She looked absolutely horrified and according to Professor Serina (and the state of Sakura's hair) she'd just been sleeping in class. I spend the rest of the lecture dreading whatever punishment professor Serina had in store for me. I had a sinking feeling it would include the company of a certain bushy haired nemesis.

A sharp clicking of heels disturbed my self pitying.

"Mr. Hyuuga, you'd do best to keep your head _up_," came the sharp voice of Professor Serina.

This professor was what I call a very fiery woman – aged by grace, yet could still spit venom through her brittle lips. She was said to be one of the most brilliant professors in the academy; her tendency to be stern and just was only one of the reasons students respected her (certain _nerdy_ students anyway). In fact, I bet her secret motto was – only recited aloud as she stood before her mirror at precisely 7:15 in the morning – "Serina takes no shite from anyone." Yes, she was a woman of that exact calibre.

I put my head up quickly, my spine automatically rigid, finding myself looking at the very stern-mouthed lady, her eyes narrowed underneath her blond brows.

"Good. Now keep conscious." She pursed her lips. "You two are, although often questioned, two of my brightest students," she said to us, and I subconsciously peered at Sakura from the corner of my eye. Just as I'd predicted, she was looking down in shame.

"I feel worry at the thought that the two of you may be overworking yourselves to the point of exhaustion. If that is the case, I must know." She looked expectedly at the two of us. "Well?"

"No, Professor," we said in unison.

She nodded her head. "Very well, then. Now, I have an errand to run. I will come back here in ten minutes, and in those ten minutes I hope not to find any reason to suspect any foul play betwixt the two of you. I will be the one issuing your detention, and if it is needed, your detention will be extended for however long you feel the need to misbehave. Is that clear?"

We both nodded our heads.

"Very good."

Then she left, with her midnight blue dress fluttering behind her.

Sakura briefly looked at me sitting across from her, but when she caught my eyes she quickly looked away.

"I don't think I need to ask why _you_ fell asleep in class," I drawled aloud.

"Nor you," she spit back. "Late-night modifications of your plans to resurrect Hitler yet again? It's getting quite pathetic, your efforts. It isn't as if you don't already have enough prejudiced friends."

"Oh, ouch. Now you've gone and pricked a hole in my heart. How will I ever manage to _live_?" I said mockingly, still not quite over the feeling of surprise every time Sakura challenged me. It seemed to have become her new hobby after the incident in the dining hall.

She gasped, feigning surprise on her face. "You have a _heart_? And here I thought your central source of life was a rusty old bedpan filled with worms!"

"Where did you get that – read it in a children's book somewhere?" I snarled.

"That argument's getting awfully old, Hyuuga," she said with narrowed eyes and clear disdain. "I think spitting it at me fifty times a day wears it down, don't you?"

"Not really, no," I said loudly.

"Shut up!" she hissed at me. "Just _shut up_."

"What's the matter, Sakura? Can't take the heat?"

"The _heat_?" she scoffed. "It's your _breath_, Hyuuga. It's quite rank. I can smell it all the way over here." She made a face. "Must be all that fancy caviare you eat."

"It's better than the live rat _you_ eat. I haven't seen such barbaric dining since the cave men." I sneered at her, while unconsciously checking my breath. "Or hygiene, for that matter. Haven't you ever heard of _conditioner_, Sakura?"

"Oh, now I think your maturity's _way_ understated here."

"Tell me, does it crackle when you comb your hair?"

"And what do you put in yours? Crisco?"

"You ought to just cut it all off, it's hideous and beyond saveable."

"Shut up, you festering turd!"

"You're getting a little flushed over there, Sakura. Am I getting to you? Getting a bit mad, are you?"

Needless to say, Mikan Sakura was just about ready to combust at this point. Thankfully, it was at this moment that professor Serina stepped into the class; just managing to catch the last bit of the sentence I had just thrown at her.

**Mikan**

"Mr. Hyuuga!" she said emphatically. "I believe I just told the two of you to behave! This makes me worry greatly. I suspect I will have to give you a harsher punishment then."

I groaned silently and sent Hyuuga a deathly glare. This was all his fault.

"In three hours from now I want you to clean the old library and put the books on shelves." She gave us both a stern look. "Have you understood?"

We reluctantly nodded our heads.

"And" – she took our cell phones, which we both flinched at, no help from outside. "No outside contact. Sorry. Standard rule of detention, you understand."

Then she left for the last decisive time, leaving us alone in the musty place of dusty, possibly mouldy books.

"Well," I dismally sighed, picking up one of the books on the stack beside me, making a face as it coughed dust in my face. "We should get started."

Natsume Hyuuga simply grunted, looking around.

"Well, don't be a priss," I said in annoyance, grunting, trying to carry over a large stack of books. "A little bit of dirt won't hurt."

"Give it a rest, Sakura," he told me, before swooping by, completely ignoring the heavy pile of books in my arms and grabbing his own stack of books so infuriatingly effortlessly. He walked over to the table, putting it down, looking at me. "We've got three hours and no cell phones. That's looking to be a very bloody outcome if we've got to speak to each other, now, doesn't it?"

"Are you proposing that we not speak to each other for these entire three hours?" I asked, rather dumbly.

"Yes. I don't want you talking to me unless you think you're about to keel over and die, or if you've been crushed by a falling shelf, and even then I want you to think over your decision carefully." He crooked an eyebrow at me. "Understand?"

"Yes, Mother dearest," I grumbled under my breath, turning around to mind the other books. I did not mind that he preferred no interaction – in fact, I was rather happy with that decision. He'd only get me all wound up and most probably force me to do something that would only gain me another _glorious_ detention.

"I'll start over here."

I was trying to look over the covers of the books when Hyuuga threw a rag in my face, following the clatter of a bottle on the stone beside me. I picked the rag off, glaring at him. He had a slight smirk as he was wiping one of the books.

"You're going to need that to clean the books. Didn't you hear the old bat?"

I only let out a disgusted sigh, wishing I could take the bottle of cleaner fluid and throw it at his head. In fact, I quite felt like this every time I saw him, and I felt very stupid now, thinking that he had changed simply because his ugly smirking face had promised me to cease popping in front of my face to ridicule my friends and I in some cruel public announcement.

"Prick bastards don't change," I silently whispered to myself, squeezing some fluid into my rag and furiously wiping the cover clean, "I know that."

In case you'd never met a girl like me before, I had a very simple mind and way of thinking. Perhaps it had been a birth defect, of having the ability to have an opinion about everything, but not exactly comprehending the fact that certain things on earth wasn't meant for being put into boxes, it just wouldn't fit in my regular human understanding. Take Natsume Hyuuga, for example. I thought about him at very rare times (more so lately) and though I usually settled for what he put out, on some days when I was feeling rather mad I'd think about his prick-attitude and if that was really all he was about. It was like an itch that I couldn't scratch – _didn't_ want to, lest it spread. I was a girl of black-white logic, and even then Hyuuga made be abandon that reasoning and forced me to_ think_ about him.

But the fact was, I fancied the thought that I gave every person a second chance. Of course, in this tangent, I did not accurately describe (or consider) Hyuuga as a _person_ – or human being, at that. I could not let the grudge over his inevitably scarring bullying go.

He was a mean prick, and he did not deserve my kindness.

We cleaned the books first, setting them in individual stacks. We deliberately worked with our backs turned to one another as to prevent repeatedly glancing up to see the epitome of our version of unpleasant company. We did not talk aloud and I only attempted to tame my mind, thinking about other matters very far from my situation, and this place, and this person. It was quite astounding, really, the sheer force of my brainpower.

"So you're friends with Ruka," I finally said breaking the silence.

He gave me a look. "How that is any of your business, I fail to see."

"I was only wondering why he was friends with you. He seems like a decent guy is all," I napped, feeling my temper rise.

Hyuuga snorted. "How would you know what he's like? There's no way he'd talk to you."

"I happened to run into Ruka just this morning actually. He apologized to me," I told him feeling slightly smug about it.

This obviously didn't sit well with Hyuuga. "Why the hell would he apologize to _you_?" he bristled getting up and walking towards my position.

"He apologized for you being such a prick!" I snapped, not feeling guilty for lying, I was that angry.

"Sakura, you're really crossing the line!"

"_You_ crossed it a long time ago!"

"Don't fuck with me," he sneered, nearing me with a determined look in his eye.

"Don't come near me, you raving lunatic!" I screamed my heart beating hard in my chest. It had just occurred to me that we were all alone. If Hyuuga decided to kill me, nobody would hear. Nobody would come.

"You're the crazy one," Hyuuga yelled. I grabbed a book and swung it at him in the exact moment he was within reach. He caught it with his hand.

We stared at each other. Our rasping breaths the only noise in the library.

"Let go of the book," Hyuuga said slowly.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N:** And seriously, post a review. I find it a tad annoying when some of you add this to your favourite stories but don't review – your comments and encouragements are what keeps me writing. So don't think that yours doesn't matter. I'm always delighted by all of them.


	6. Nice Try

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**One of you guys mentioned something very interesting in their review to the prior chapter – that Mikan and Natsume was a bit** OOC**. I've thought about that a lot – because, yes, they are very different from the original manga. But then again, so is the story. Their lives are so different from the ones they lead in the manga AND they are a lot older in my fic.

In this story, Natsume's village didn't burn down, his parents didn't die, and he hasn't been through any inhumane training. Instead, he's actually become spoiled because his family is wealthy and can afford to not deny him anything. He's also very bitter – again, because of his parents, and something has happened to makes him extremely cautious towards other people. (More of this later)

Mikan, on the other hand, has been "bullied" since she started school. I imagine, this must have hardened her, making her much less of a crybaby and less naïve than the original Mikan.

I actually find myself very satisfied with this version of the two of them. But this is only my own humble opinion xD

**Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most "problematic" students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will the result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might remind you of love.

**Words/**4043

**06: NICE TRY**

_-x-_

**Natsume**

Without her disposition giving away an inch, she finally let the book slip out of her hands. I shot her a warning look, before shoving it in with the other books. Before long, she began to hand it to me in stacks. There were too many books and only two of us – it became a very tedious job, especially since we had stopped talking again after the incident about Ruka. Sometimes, when I would turn my back, I'd have the lingering suspicion that I'd suddenly feel a sharp pain in the back of my head. I was quite sure she'd throw one of the books at me before the detention was over, simply because she detested me, and perhaps so she could have something to brag about to her little friends later on tonight.

"Why were you falling asleep in class?" she suddenly said aloud, startling me, for I'd been far too engaged in the works of my own brain to mind the silence too much. In fact, it took me a few seconds to actually register she'd asked me a question.

"I mean," Sakura continued on when I didn't say anything, "I think it's rather obvious it isn't because you stayed up all night studying."

I gave her a dry look, grabbing another book. "I don't have the vaguest idea why you'd want to know, besides the fact that you're just a nosy old bint."

"Forgive me if I thought it was something worth knowing," she retorted sharply. "Must have lapsed into temporary insanity again."

"Must be why you're looking so different today, Sakura. You aren't wearing your straitjacket!"

There was a tense pause.

"I bet you think life is just one big _joke_, don't you, Hyuuga?" she spat, annoyed.

"Let me guess. It's a knock-knock joke. No. It's an A Man Walks Into a Bar joke. No. I think it's the one about the monkey. Definitely."

"_Why_ can't you take anything _seriously_?" she asked, her temper making its infamous flare again. "Why? Is it because of your childhood? Were you never taught how to cry? Were you bathed in _ice_ water?"

I cringed. "God, no."

"Then why is it?"

"Well, if you _really_ want to know," I said sarcastically. "My parents never hugged me – not even once – and thus my whole existence is doomed to be a cold, heartless, _hug_-less one." I shot her a dirty look. "Then again, that story's been circulating around quite a bit in your dorm, now, hasn't it?" I knew what those unpopular freaks said about me when I wasn't around.

I turned, leaning against the steps of the ladder, looking down on her with my brow quirked.

"What exactly are you aiming at here, Sakura? What are you trying to do – crack into my personal life while I break down into tears while you pat my back and tell me that everything's going to be okay, that I'm not going to turn out like my horrid father, before we go to a commercial break?" I said sourly. "And what makes you think I'd tell a lunatic like you?" I snorted. "Better yet, why do you think I'd tell someone like _you_, who will just take it, twist it around to make me seem like a – what's that word you used again? Oh _yeah_ – _Nazi_, and then use it to somehow amuse themselves with their personal pride?"

"Because you're the same, aren't you?"

I froze. I continued to stare directly at her.

"Watch it, Sparky."

She only shook her head, laughing scornfully. "Why? Are you suddenly _offended_? Was that too much for you? Do you want me to take it _down_ a _notch_?" She had her hands on her waist, looking up at me. "You're not any better, you know. Not any better than me, or Hayden, or anybody. In fact, you could be worse – you _are_ worse. What are _you_ doing with _your_ life?"

"I'm supposing your ideal answer for me to say would be: 'Nothing. Gee _Whiz_. What _have_ I been doing with my life? _Maybe_ I should turn over to the _good_ side. _Maybe_ I should invite Gayden to my slumber parties at my dorm and we could braid each other's hair and share secrets about dieting," I said mockingly. "_Maybe_ I could have bake sales and give poor people _hugs_."

She was glaring at me, the sharp kind – where you know you've hit a spot real tender, really close – perhaps even on the bull's eye – to where you'd aimed – where you were sure it'd hurt. And at first I had not really been aiming for it to hurt; it was just a sort of normal reflex now, for people like me to go around shooting snide remarks such as this. But certainly it was deserved. She'd started on me first. And what was it, I wanted to know, with people like Sakura trying to guilt people into being "good"? Rubbing their non-achievements right in people's face, rubbing it in _hard_, so they were sure it would burn? Or was it something other than that – was she just trying to find some shard of humanity in an _evil_ person like me so she could sleep better at night, knowing there was still at least a _little_ hope in the world?

Suddenly, she turned on her heel and began to walk away, my ears catching the sound of the very quiet swishing of her skirt against her thighs. My eyes followed her sharp yet fluid movements, taking a moment to register what she was doing. At first, I did not have the slightest bit of a clue – then the startling realization hit me of where she was heading, and that she clearly wasn't stopping: the door.

"Sakura," I said, hastily leaping off the ladder, no longer caring about the possible splinters I might excite, "where the hell are you going?"

"I'm going to ask for another detention. With somebody else. _Anybody_ else. Anybody else except _you_!" Sakura spat, turning around for a quick second.

I followed after her briskly, before cutting ahead of her, blocking the door.

"Move," she furiously commanded. Her face had been pulled tightly by her hardening disposition. Her lips, I noticed, were suddenly a bright and vivid shade of red that I had never seen before.

"Hey," I told her seriously, "_you_ started it first. _You_ were the one judging _me_, remember? 'You're worse, Hyuuga, what are you doing with _your_ life, you prejudiced bastard'? Remember?"

"Just _move_," she said again, her rigid eyes unwavering.

"_No_," I said firmly. "We are going to _finish_ this detention, do you hear me? Because I am _not_ coming back here. We have already done most of what we need, Sakura. If you head out now, both of us are going to have to do it _over_ again."

"I don't care," she spat. "Six hours scrubbing bed pans or inhaling dust is better than another hour with _you_."

"Now, I know you don't mean that, Sakura."

"I mean it more than anything I've ever said in my life."

I sighed, crossing my arms, peering into her face. This would take some persuasion. "I never knew you were the type to give up."

"This isn't giving up," she snarled defensively. "This falls into the categories: Smart Choices and Clever Evasive Skills."

"Your beloved Professor Narumi would disagree."

She huffed. "I don't care. And you shouldn't, either, if you're concerned with whether your head's going to stay intact with your neck in about a minute or two if you don't move _out of my way_."

"Sakura, it'd do you some damned good to come to terms with the fact that your threats _don't – scare - me_, all _right_, honeycakes? They _don't_. So you can stop these lucid attempts at making me quiver in my boots, because they _aren't_ going to work." I rolled my eyes. "What is it with you non-populars, thinking that with just one blow we'll bowl right over? Of course, if you were Andou, it'd be a slightly different story. But you're, in fact, _without_ a monstrously hideous star shaped tattoo, hence, no angry quivering. _Got it?"_

She was glaring at me now, her eyes almost nonexistent.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Trying to target your nose."

"Sakura, if you hit me—"

"What are you going to do? Tell your Daddy on me?"

"Well – yes, precisely just that."

It was then she froze, her expression falling into a dumbfounded look. Then she shook her head, turning away. "You're pathetic," she scoffed.

I said nothing, and instead pulled some heavy chairs over to block the door, piling numerous tomes on the seats to prevent a quick escape for my detention partner. If, in the next hour, she attempted to leave, then this should delay her quite a bit – that, or cause some bodily harm, which was fine either way.

"You know, Hyuuga, I pity you."

"Well, you shouldn't," I snapped. "I'm bloody sexy as hell."

She whipped around, her arms across her chest.

"You're still trapped in that mind-set, aren't you? Of being underneath Daddy's protection – Daddy's little umbrella so poor little wittle Natty's hair won't get wet?" She began to laugh to herself, and my brow leapt to my forehead, watching as strange giggles poured out of her, her chest heaving with her amusement. When she finally calmed down, she continued to talk, no doubt belittling me again. Oh, joy.

"What I'd _give_ to see the day when Daddy fails you, Hyuuga."

I sneered. "Let's get back to working, Bookworm."

"No, no," she said, calling after me. "Let's talk about this, Hyuuga – it'll be good for you. Maybe shed some light on the little dark corner you've been living your life out of, hm?"

"Would you just _shut_ your bloody trap?" I shouted at her. "Where do you get off feeling high and mighty to start talking about things you absolutely don't know a single damn _thing_ about?"

"Around the same place _you_ get off feeling high and mighty to start talking about social status and geek-germs and whatever the hell else _you_ bully me about!" she retaliated. "The problem with _you_, Hyuuga, is that you haven't been put in your place like the rest of us."

"Oh?" I scoffed, circling around her. "_Really_ now? _I_ haven't been put in my place – and _you_ have?" Then my face darkened, as I neared her – almost until the tips of our noses were touching. "Watch your mouth, Sakura. You know damn well you don't know _anything_ about me."

"And so what?" she asked, her nostrils flaring. "You know damn well you don't know anything about _me_, either. That doesn't stop you – even for a _second_ – from doing the things you do."

In the deep, boiling pit of my chest, I could not find a single word of denial in response to her statement. Not a single one. Instead, I simply turned around, gritting my jaw, with my muscles taut inside my body. I called upon the divine powers of self-control to help me from lunging at her throat and strangling her, but in the meantime all I could do was refuse to respond and simply try to carry on with the task we had been assigned – key word being _try_, assuming that Sakura would _cooperate_. Even in the depths of my mind I could not understand her – her immaculate ability to _annoy_ me until I felt the top of my skull nearly explode off of my head. With her, _nobody_ was good enough. Only her girlfriends, and Gayden and Tsubasa _fucking _Andou, the two most incapable idiots I'd ever had the misfortune of gazing upon in my entire festering life.

She was infuriating in that way – her unrelenting loyalty to her friends. She was one of the biggest damn snobs I'd ever met but she'd never admit it, because she felt she was too righteous for that. And be it that I was too "evil" to understand righteous folk. There she was, with her hallucinations of peace and goodness and justice, trampling on everybody else that wasn't like her.

So, in an attempt to perhaps contain the impending violence of my reaction, I began to grab the books, stacking them on the table.

However, just as I had grabbed the last book, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in between my shoulder blades, and I yelled out, before whirling around to glare at her.

The little bint had thrown a _book_ at me.

"What the _hell_ is your problem?" I shouted at her. "I understand you're used to your cavemen social skills, but throwing _books_? Have you gone completely bonkers?"

"I wasn't done talking," she seethed.

"Well, you _stopped_ talking, hence I only assumed you were done," I snarled, nearing her until our bodies were only an inch away. "And, quite frankly, I couldn't give less of a _damn_ even if you _were_ done talking, all right, Sakura?"

"Why? Because the truth hurts, doesn't it? I bet you've never even been _alone_ in a room with a person who's willing to tell you the truth, about how much of a monster you are, about how terribly you deserve to burn in hell."

"Oh yes, well, and I feel just terrible about that!" I spat. "Excuse me while I go to the corner and cry! Oh – _wait_ a minute! I forgot – I _don't care_!"

Just then, she pushed me, her face clouded over with anger.

"Don't – _touch_ – me – _Nerd_," I growled.

She pushed me again.

When it was clear that she was not – and never – going to listen to my commands, around her third push, I took it upon myself to accost her. My fingers gripped her arms, holding her intoxicatingly close to me, my eyes burning into hers. She struggled, but I would not let go. Now, it wasn't exactly clear to me what I planned to do while I was holding her like this, perhaps force a few select threats down her throat, or shove her around a bit. But as soon as her body had collided against mine, something stopped me before I could do anything at all.

"Pray tell, what is going on in here?"

We broke from each other like we'd been burned with fire. Professor Serina stood inside the library, she must have gone through the side door – the one I hadn't blocked when Sakura tried to escape.

"Not much, Professor," said Sakura icily. "Hyuuga here just has some trouble controlling himself, if you catch my drift." I clenched my teeth in aggravation. How _dared_ she try to put the blame on me?

Professor Serina looked flustered. I had expected her to be screaming bloody murder by now, but she looked almost... what the hell? Was she blushing?

"I-I understand, Miss Sakura, Mr. Hyuuga. But I would kindly ask you to get back to your task at hand, instead of... well, getting intimate. This is supposed to be a _punishment_."

I glared at Sakura who looked completely dumbfounded. It was her fault that I was being misunderstood _again_! Now almost every teacher in the academy thought we were shagging. As if I'd ever touch the bookworm. But as long as the students never heard about this, it wouldn't become a problem.

"Now, I expect you to get back to work." And professor Serina left in a hurry.

**Mikan**

"Unbelievable! How can she even think of something like that when seeing the situation? It's completely obvious that you were harassing me, really!"

I snapped my head in Hyuuga's direction. He wasn't even looking my way. "Hyuuga? Are you listening? I said, it was completely _obvious_!"

"I heard you, Sakura," he drawled, fitting back into his cool, witty self. "No need to repeat yourself. I'm afraid that'd just bring me one step closer to a bore-related death."

I slammed a book down, hoping to make Hyuuga's ears ring. I had turned completely around now, facing him, my hand on my waist.

"Did they put you on medication or something?" I asked him seriously, my brows knitted together. "Because they should. Although I doubt any medication could cure _your_ condition – that's rather a case for divine powers. But you know what they say about modern medicine: it works miracles."

"Gee, thanks, Sakura," he snarled back at me. "Your pearls of wisdom are always tantamount to the sensation of someone setting off a firecracker in my ear."

My grip on the book was tightening, my eyes increasingly narrowing at him. My chest was tight, and my ribcage was taut with anger and long-brewing annoyance.

"Let me ask you something, Hyuuga. When you wake up in the morning, do you ever get the feeling as if somewhere out there, somebody's desperately _praying_ to _God_ you'd just keel over and _die_? Because that's me. And three billion other people, I expect. Either this is God's idea of a cruel joke, or he really does love his skee ball tournaments."

"Ouch, Sakura I think I've just been burned. But I think I'd burn better if I had your hair. In fact, I bet I'd start a wildfire."

Just then, there was a blur in my eyes. This moment was perhaps the moment Natsume Hyuuga would be thankful for his rigorous soccer training, for it had apparently tuned his reflexes to an extraordinary scale, hence making it possible for him to accomplish otherwise-impossible acts of defence such as this.

There was the loud sound of skin connecting with skin, and I found myself looking straight into his face, his left hand having caught my wrist in my attempt to slap him. I eyed him furiously and tried to cut through him like fire, brimmed pink with rage, with my dainty chin uncontrollably trembling. A few curls had flung onto my forehead and cheek when he'd caught my wrist and pulled me forward. I could feel his calm breaths against my skin.

"Who said you could touch me?" he snarled at me.

"Let go of me," I whispered, enraged. I tried to jerk my wrist away. "Let go of me, Hyuuga, or I swear—"

"You swear what? You'll sic your dogs, Gayden and Andou, on me? You'll get me expelled? You'll do _what_ exactly, Sakura?" he said lowly. "You think far too highly of yourself. I think we need to do something about that, don't you?"

"Let me go," I said to him, my voice firmer. His grip on my wrist was becoming painful, and I felt my skin getting hot and feverish as adrenaline made blood rush through my veins, my heart beating so fast I could hardly breathe properly.

**Natsume**

The quick and unexpected transition of events had an odd affect on the environment. The air became tense, but muggy and increasingly heavy with something I could not explain. Inside me, my mouth had become filled with a drought I could not swallow down, and my heart had jumped up to a place it did not belong. The connection of my palm to her wrist, my fingers pressing down so hard that I could feel her pulse begin to quicken, completely in sync with my own, was dangerous but strangely alluring. My brain felt like snow melting in the spring sun, a messy useless slush, and everywhere on my body I could feel pulsing hot knots begin to throb – in my joints, in my veins.

"If I do, will you hit me again?"

"No." Her eyes were looking straight into my own – and perhaps even somewhere beyond that. She swallowed hard.

"Yes."

Then, I asked a question I had never dreamt of ever asking – not to her, not to anyone. I had not even thought it to myself. But it came from somewhere deep inside me, deep, deep, _deep_ – far deeper than I could ever search, or ponder.

"Why do you hate me so much, Sakura?" I asked her, almost so quiet as a whisper.

Something unknown stirred inside her when I asked this question – I saw it in her eyes. There was this sudden motion, a flicker, of something I'd never seen before. Something about her softened – yet hardened at the same time, if such a thing was possible.

"Because you live your life trying to bring down everyone else," she answered, without flinching, or looking away. "And you're happy doing it."

"Is that all?"

Surprising me, she began to slightly smirk. "That's just the overview."

Suddenly, I realised just what we were doing, my grip loosened, and she quickly snatched her wrist away, caressing it gingerly. "God," she said, glancing up at me, but making sure not to look at me for too long. Somehow I felt as if a wire had snapped in between us, a glowing copper wire, and now it had frayed the sides of our separate worlds – fusing us together. It was too frightening a concept to fully digest; hence my mind quickly covered it up, burying it underneath my tangible worries.

"What are you on, steroids?"

"Sure," I muttered sarcastically, before turning back to the books. I firmly kept my eyes down in front of me, focusing on the way the chapped leather felt against my skin, my mind thoroughly disarray in every possible way known to human kind. I tried my best not to think of what had happened just seconds before, and what had _possessed_ me to endure such a thing – let alone _initiate_ it – but it was proving to be very impossible, considering the fact that the more one tries not to think about something, the more one does.

I, silently sighing, set another book aside.

In an hour, we began to set the books up on the bookshelf. It was a vast shelf, both in height and width. Sakura had taken to dusting it first, however, and was trying to bat away the cobwebs. I was still going through the books, but I could see her out of the corner of my eye, her petite body hunching over every time she gave a high-pitched sneeze. She was clutching onto the ladder rail so tight I could see her white knuckles bulging out of her hand, but she'd not once asked for my help. I could have done it – if she'd asked. But it wasn't exactly such a big shocker she hadn't asked – she was one of those independent types, obviously. Had to do everything herself, so she could prove her worth to the world as a woman, or something like that.

The thing about girls like Mikan Sakura was that they always seemed to be trying to prove something. Perhaps it was this quality that constantly irked me whenever I encountered her. She was practically insufferable because of it.

None of us uttered a word for the remaining time and I admit that I breathed a sigh of relief when professor Serina came back to let us out. Sakura dashed for the door, looking like she'd just been released from jail. I strolled after her in a more dignified manner, acting like I didn't care – least of all about Sakura. At all costs, I wanted to avoid her thinking she had gotten to me. Because she hadn't. Really. She had tried though, god, had she tried.

So, you know. Nice try. Close, but no cigar.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_By the way:_ someone mentioned it being random and not having to do with anything that Natsume said "Let go of the book" to Mikan in the end of the last chapter. But let me explain: they are both holding onto this book – it becomes a question of being in control, of dominance. The one who lets go loses (At least Natsume thinks so). Therefore: "Let go of the book." (And also because he's trying to save some of the dignity he's lost when he lost his temper earlier)

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	7. Something about the past

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Yes, this one took a while. I don't like it very much, but it needs to be there for the next chapters to happen ;-) Oh! And a new character we all know is introduced in this chapter!

**Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most "problematic" students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will the result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might remind you of love.

**Words/**3439

**07: SOMETHING ABOUT THE PAST**

_-x-_

**Mikan**

There's this thing about boys who are categorized as popular. Apart from fancying themselves King Of the World, they are usually seen with a decorative figure by their side – the female counterpart. I've no idea whether it's because people who are alike spot always group together or if it's because they are in reality insecure and feel the need to prove themselves a "man". I would like to think the last. But I also know that the first option is the most likely. Birds of a feather flock together.

Which leads me to my current predicament where I am cornered in the girls' bathroom on the second floor by said female counterpart. Natsume Hyuuga's obviously.

_Luna_. I'd inconveniently forgotten all about her existence until this moment.

"_Well_?" she demanded, throwing her long hair over her left shoulder.

"Um, excuse me," I began, "'well' what?"

She literally growled. "The only reason I'd _ever_ speak to you is obviously because of Natsume!"

I blinked. _Huh_. "What's he got to do with me?" I played dumb. I was good at that.

"I want to know what you've done to him!" she snapped taking one step closer to me. I stepped back – she resembled an angry fury a bit.

"I don't really recall doing anything-"

"You must have! He's been avoiding me," she screamed, appearing close to tears. "Since you said those ridiculous things in the dining hall, he hasn't spoken to me at all!"

I was at a loss of what to do. Really. "Don't feel too bad about it," I tried comforting her. "He's not worth it anyway."

She screwed up her eyes and curled her glossy painted mouth downwards, all traces of tears gone in a moment. "I would watch my back if I were you," she hissed dangerously before turning around, nearly hitting my face with her twirling hair and then stalking out the door in very high heels.

I breathed out in relief. One thing was dealing with Hyuuga – I could do that, I'd actually proven myself exceptional at dealing with him, but girls were much more dangerous. Girls like Luna, especially.

"Mikan," Hotaru said from outside the bathroom. She never used the public ones but rather her father's private one. One of the many perks of being the principal's only daughter.

I snapped out of my thoughts and went to open the door. Hotaru had promised me we'd go buy sandwiches for lunch – in reality, I knew she looked forward to it almost as much as me because you could get one with crab in it. She'd always loved fish, but crab was her favourite.

"God, Mikan, did you take root out there?" she asked. I shook my head furiously.

It was all Natsume's fault. That Luna girl had said he'd been ignoring her, and well, he hadn't spoken to me either. Not that I wasn't pleased about that.

"Come _on_, Mikan!" Hotaru said, tapping her foot impatiently. I grinned, forgetting Luna and Natsume as I happily skipped after my best friend.

**Natsume**

"How could you draw John Lennon in someone else's textbook?" Mochu complained while waving the book aggressively in Koko's face.

Koko only laughed in return, "You're stupid, that's a masterpiece. It took me days to finish it."

"A masterpiece? It hardly even looks like Lennon!"

"How would you know? You've got zero capacity for music."

They kept on yapping at each other and I kept on ignoring them. Ruka, too, had been very quiet. I gave him a quick look only to discover that he was observing me with furred brows and a very thoughtful expression.

"What are you doing?"

"Quietly judging you."

"Look, I don't really think-"

"Nat," he interrupted me. "Did something happen?"

"No."

"Nat-"

"_No_!"

He snorted. "Fine. Be a priss then."

Koko loudly interrupted our conversation with a forceful, "Tell him this looks like John Lennon, Natsume!" he tried to shove the drawing in my face and I pushed it away.

"I really don't care whether it looks like him or not."

"_See_! Everyone thinks it's a shitty drawing!" Mochu laughed.

Rolling my eyes, I looked away from him just as Mikan Sakura entered the hall with the principal's daughter, carrying a huge amount of sandwiches in her arms. She looked towards me, then quickly away. My gaze was fixed on her. She starred underneath the weight of her food and chatted excitedly with her companion.

Meanwhile, she did not know that I was very aware of her presence and felt as if my stomach on the brink of these mini-spasms that I was already developing a strong hatred for. I'd _heard_ her enter the hall, and felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand, as if knowing that her attention on me had been thrilling. I tell you, I did not find very many things thrilling – the only thing that thrilled me, perhaps, before that moment was soccer. And it was akin to that, in a way, being disconnected to the world yet very much being enveloped by it. (But not really)

I didn't know what had changed but it pissed me off. It had pissed me off for days now – since that shitty detention where I'd been forced to spend three hours in the company of her terrible self-righteousness.

"We'll go the the pub tonight," I decided. Alcohol was exactly what I needed. A lot of alcohol.

"Great Idea, Nat!" Koko said with a smirk, obviously thinking of all the girls he would shag when we got there.

Both Mochu and Ruka nodded in agreement, Ruka a bit hesitantly and Mochu with eagerness.

I sighed gravely and returned to the newspaper I had been pretending to read for almost ten minutes now.

"Hyuuga," an all too well-known voice said.

I didn't look up. "Yes?"

"You better look at me when I'm talking to you, jerkface."

I looked up.

**Mikan**

"Eat, Mikan," Hotaru commanded.

I was currently seated in the dining hall – now with nothing more than a faint discolouring on one of the walls as the only reminder of the foodfight four days prior. If you squeezed your eyes together it looked a bit like strawberry jam.

Anyway, I'd been eating lunch with Hotaru for only a couple of minutes when I noticed something peculiar. Tsubasa and Hyuuga were talking! Didn't look like neither enjoyed it, though. Hyuuga looked stoic with his jaw set and Tsubasa seemed very upset. It was strange, and didn't fit. I mean, what could they possibly have to say to each other – besides 'I hate your guts!'?

Tsubasa got up and stalked out of the hall with angry steps.

_Huh..._

Hyuuga too looked annoyed and I watched him speak conceitedly to one of his friends – I think his name was Mochu. Even when Hyuuga spoke, his ego was big. I mean, it was like every word was wrapped in arrogance with a ribbon of mockery tied on top neatly. His friend then received the package of words hesitantly not knowing what to expect. It was the usual reaction from people when near Hyuuga; but you didn't usually see it from Hyuuga's friends. They looked much more wary than normally. His friends stopped talking and watched as Hyuuga dismissed them with nothing more than a hand-wave and went back to his newspaper.

I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed this out-of-ordinary exchange. Everybody was minding their own business.

"Hotaru," I tried to get her attention. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

She offered me a dry look. "I really doubt it, Mikan."

Ignoring her I continued, "I was just thinking how strange Hyuuga and Tsubasa are acting. It's like they know each other, but usually they avoid talking."

"So? You're also avoiding Hyuuga."

"I'm not avoiding him, I just don't want to see his face!" I exclaimed. "But Tsubasa has never _really_ talked to him before, has he?" I glanced in Hyuuga's direction and then back at Hotaru.

Hotaru sighed and finally put her book down to take a look. "I don't spot any abnormal behaviour."

I took a bite of a sandwich. "Not right _now_, Hotaru!" I exclaimed agitated. "Haven't you noticed how much Tsubasa seems to hate Hyuuga?" _And that Hyuuga calls Tsubasa by his first name... _

"Mikan, you might not realize this," Hotaru said with strained calmness, "but that sandwich you're eating has crab in it." She looked positively sullen.

"Right." I handed it to her and she immediately cut the part I'd eaten from off. "Anyway don't you think it's disturbing at _all_ that Tsubasa might be involved in some secret relationship with Hyuuga that we know nothing about?"

"The only disturbing thing is your sudden interest in this. I thought you hated Hyuuga, why do you care?"

For a moment I was speechless as I watched Hotaru take a bite from her sandwich.

'_Why do you hate me so much?'_

"I... _don't _care!" I hissed. "It's suspicious, is all!" she rolled her eyes at me and reopened her book. Our table fell silent and random conversations of other students became more pronounced. This was quickly becoming a course of frustration for me; not knowing what was or had been going on between one of my friends and my top enemy.

I really wanted to ask Hyuuga about it, but then I'd have to face him and that I would do anything to avoid. Things hadn't been the same since that detention in the library. I can't explain what happened exactly but things are unexplainably _weird_ now. I wouldn't even know what to say to him if he, for some strange reason, decided to stop giving me the silent treatment and actually talk to me. I couldn't even think of any insults that I haven't already told him in detention. Maybe this was where the actual problem was – me running out of biting remarks!

… or maybe it was because, whether consciously or not, Hyuuga had exposed something about himself. He'd asked me in earnest why I hated him. He'd _wanted_ to hear my answer. So my carefully decided opinion of him had been slightly altered without my immediate notice. He seemed a tad more human now because I knew he had feelings; and this realization really didn't please me.

I tried thinking of something else. Really, I did. It just wasn't coming along very nicely at all. And when Tsubasa later joined our table with a coffee mug and a newspaper I couldn't help myself.

I visibly cleared my throat. Tsubasa looked up and sent me a smile. Good, he didn't look angry any longer. Hotaru rolled her eyes at me.

"So," I said.

Tsubasa raised his brows in question. "So?"

"So..." I hesitated, feeling as though I was meddling in something that was absolutely none of my business. But I rarely listened to the reasonable mind I in reality was gifted with – and more often than not went along with my feelings. This was quickly becoming another great example of that.

"So what's the deal with you two?" I asked trying to keep my voice light and casual. Keyword being 'try'. I knew I sounded as excited as a child in a candy store. Or, well, _me_ in a candy store.

"What do you mean?" Tsubasa said still engrossed in his book and not looking up.

"You and Hyuuga."

Tsubasa visibly tensed. "It's a long story."

"And you don't want me to know." It wasn't a question. I knew he didn't.

He sighed deeply. "Look, it's complicated. He's just- he's changed."

"In a... bad way?"

"Obviously," Tsubasa grumbled and returned to his book. I furrowed my brows trying to understand what he'd just told me. Apparently, one of my best friends and my worst enemy had some sort of history together. And if Tsubasa wouldn't tell me about it, then I'd just force Hyuuga to. Or maybe not. The thought of asking Hyuuga anything remotely personal sent a shiver down my back. I seriously didn't want to know anything. I should really watch out for unwanted information about him that might make it harder for me to hate everything he stands for.

"Instead of cudgelling your brains about useless things you should think of tonight instead," Hotaru said.

"What're you talking about?"

"Patrolling duty. It's your turn."

_Damn_.

**Natsume – Much Later**

We had been at the pub for an hour when I got the call.

"Phone for Natsume!" the bartender yelled. I've always hated things like that. When you don't know what to expect you can't possibly do anything to prepare yourself.

"Well, go and get it," Mochu said with a slight slur. Koko was busy sweet talking someone who called herself Stacy and Ruka had been acting absentminded all evening. I normally would have asked what was going on with him but I'd had a lot on my mind these last few days.

"Hello," I said into the phone.

"Nat, is that you?" Ah. Mum.

"Yeah."

"I couldn't reach you on your mobile, honey," she breathed. "It's a good thing I still have the number to the restaurant."

"It's a pub, Mum." She's always like that – pretending that I don't drink but rather spend my time discussing politics and all that crap somewhere fancy.

"How are things with school?" she asked and ignored my comment.

"Fine," I replied.

Deep sigh. "We miss you."

"I call every week." Well, _she_ called every week.

"But we don't get to _see_ you very often. Won't you pop by next weekend?" When she said 'we', she meant her and my father. But I can hardly imagine him missing _anyone_.

"If I have the time."

"Good, because your Dad has arranged a meeting with the board members in the company – very charming men, I'm sure you'll like them."

"No."

"Natsume, don't be rude!"

"No, Mum! I've told father how I feel about taking over his company – I thought I had made it quite clear that I want nothing to do with it!"

Short breaths. Great, she's sobbing. "Natsume, think about how much this means to your father. You're all we have left – our only son. Come home this weekend and we'll talk about it. Alright?"

I agreed tensely and hang up feeling guilty as hell. I wasn't angry with Mum – I knew father was the one behind the phone call. He knew I would come home if Mum was the one asking. He pissed me off so much!

It's not that I think there is a right and wrong. Not in this case – not in any. To me, there was always only fun and boring. Running my father's company was never my idea of fun.

_'You're all we have left'_

God. I didn't want to think about that. It was all so very fucked up and my family kept pretending to be all happy anyway.

Once when I was a kid I fell into a lake. I didn't really know where my parents were, probably off talking to their friends, and I'd just gone 'round by myself. It was a great place. Beautiful. Emerald grass, with loads of frogs, and I used to try and catch them. And it wasn't like I found my reflection in the lake or anything and I was so enraptured by my good looks that I fell in. I wasn't stupid. I was young, but I wasn't as naive and half-witted as everyone made me out to be at that time. But I'd tried to catch one particular frog and lost my balance and fell in. Dumb to say, but I couldn't really swim. So for a minute or two I was just this tiny little kid splashing around in the lake, trying to save myself, trying to keep my chin up above the water, waving my arms around. You'd think because I was so small some force out there in the world would somehow make me float or something, out of mercy. But I sank. I just kept sinking and sinking. Gravity, you know. Makes no exceptions for anyone, not even tiny little boys.

Because I was still young, barely six years old, it didn't really come to my mind that I was going to die. Or that there was a possibility of dying. See, when you're five years old and you're chasing frogs around lakes, death is something so far away and so out of reach that you don't even think about it. Not one single thought fluttering around in your mind. I didn't even know that I was in danger. As I sank I just kept seeing that light above the water, and I was trying to move my arms upwards, kicking my short legs, as if I was trying to run up. Strange because it'd been a gloomy morning and I didn't remember any sunlight at all. But that didn't really matter. I just kept trying, and trying. Soon I just couldn't try any more, and I felt something deep in my lungs, something past breathing. Sort of like a muted settling. Perhaps acceptance. I was a kid, though. I didn't really know anything about it back then.

So I just felt this feeling pass over me, like the way a cloud covers the moon. A tingling in between my fingers and toes. I couldn't really remember if I died or not, but I reckoned I did, for a second. But the next thing I knew I saw light again, brightness seeping into my eyelids, and I was coughing my wits out. I remembered the feel of grass against my skin, and I felt so bizarre, as if the world underneath had spat me back out because they didn't want me. Everything seemed new then. I coughed out water, and I rolled around, trying to see who had saved me. But there was nobody there. Not even my parents. All I saw were the wooden bridges and the flowers and the frog that I'd been trying to catch leaping right past me.

Even thinking about it now I got a queer shiver inside me, right in my chest, like I wanted to be able to explain it but I just couldn't. I always went back to that moment wondering if the contrary had happened. What would have happened if I hadn't been saved? Would my parents have tried to find me? Or would my body be rotting away in the bottom of the lake right now, dissolving away into fish food?

But that's really what it's all about, isn't it? In the end- there's no one when you really need them. You might be saved – you might live on, but no one ever _really_ stops to look at you. You end up going through life where no one understands you and no one want to either.

Not even parents.

I picked my jacket up off the floor and started to go. "It's only half-ten," said Mochu. "Let's get another drink." Koko nodded with a smirk.

"You can if you want. I'm going back." I refused to refer to our dormitory- or the school- as my 'home'. And I didn't want to have a drink with someone called _Stacey, _but I got the feeling that it was exactly what Koko would like to do. I got the feeling that having a drink with someone called Stacey would result in Koko not coming home _at all _that night. "I don't want to fuck your night up. I just don't feel like staying."

"Not even for half an hour?"

"Not really."

"Hold on a minute, then. I've got to bid a fair lady goodnight," Koko grinned.

"Me too," Mochu said. "I mean- I'm just going to... I'll have a drink," he added hastily, when he noticed my stare.

When they were gone, I got out quick, and hailed a black cab. It's brilliant, being depressed, you can behave as badly as you like.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Post a review and I will be eternally grateful :-)


	8. High strung in the night

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Alright, I admit that I hurried too much with the last chapter, but this one I really took my time with. I like it myself – tell me what you think :-)

**Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most "problematic" students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will the result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might remind you of love.

**Words/**3405

**08: HIGH STRUNG IN THE NIGHT**

_-x-_

**Mikan**

It's not that I was scared. Really, it wasn't. It's not fear that made my heart race and my palms clam up every time I turned a dark corner into another unknown corridor. At least that's what I tried to convince myself. Instead, I told myself I'm just on edge. High strung. That much was true.

I hated doing the midnight rounds, one of my most tiresome and stressful duties as permanent resident at the school dorm, but being who I am, and partly because my turn only came around one night a month, I couldn't bring myself to skip them. I'd much rather be back in the dormitory with Hotaru instead of wandering aimlessly around the school pretending to care whether or not students had snug out of their beds. Often times, I'd rather be with Hotaru than anywhere else, regardless of what I was doing.

Gripping the cloth of my skirt tightly, I unconsciously held my breath as I turned another bend, and let it out in a sigh as I saw another deserted hallway. I didn't notice how tense my shoulders were, or how wide my eyes were, desperately trying to take in as much light as I could, wary of every shadow.

My movement stilled when I heard footsteps in the distance. I was in a long, straight passageway with a high, vaulted ceiling, walls covered in menacing paintings of various magical stories. The glow of my candlelight only went so far; I could barely see four feet in front of me. I froze in my spot – couldn't seem to make my muscles move. Shaking off my initial reaction, I reminded myself it's nothing to be scared of, probably just a student. I willed myself to keep walking, and sure enough, I took tentative steps forward. Then I heard a loud curse, echoing down the hallway, and then a violent sound, like something being thrown against a wall.

For a moment, I seriously debated turning and sneaking out of the hallway as quietly as possible, but then I berated myself. _Keep going forward, this is ridiculous. Nobody trying to sneak into the academy and murder us all would make such a loud noise._ I unconsciously fiddled with my fingers, clutching to the front of my clothes. I continued forward, walking as quietly as possible.

I came to a turn in the corridor, held my breath once again, and rounded the corner. I was slightly relieved when the light from my candle showed a tall figure sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall, head hanging between its knees. A figure with the darkest-black hair I had ever seen. The picture of fatigue.

"Hyuuga?" I exclaimed breathlessly, more out of surprise than anything. His head snapped up, and I was startled by his appearance. Even in the dim glow of the candlelight I could see his sorrowful complexion and the weariness in his eyes, which was immediately replaced by a quick, hot anger.

"Piss off, Bookworm," he spat at me, venom in his voice. He watched me with glaring eyes, a look of disdain marring his features.

Affronted, I adopted my best no-nonsense voice.

"Hyuuga! Get up this instant. I'm happy to inform you that this blatant disregard for the rules will be immediately reported to Professor Serina, and I'll have you know I'm going to recommend that she arranges as many weeks of detention as is humanely-"

"All right, all right, calm down you crazy bint. No need to go to extremes." Instead of anger in his voice, this time there was only a tone of indifference; boredom even. Thrown off by his sudden change in manner, I remained silent, gaping at him in the darkness.

"Listen, Hyuuga, I don't know what you're doing down here, but you know it's against the rules. I'll also thank you not to speak to me like that." I tried to keep my voice calm and patient.

He snorted, getting a bit of his old, superior self back. "Why? I don't see anyone else around. I believe the deal only applies in public, no?"

"Right. Because you're _so_ amazing at keeping your part of it!"

He gave me an incredulous look. "I really don't see what you're complaining about. I've left you alone, haven't I?"

"You've left _everyone_ alone!" It's already out of my mouth before I could think, before I could do anything. Hyuuga stared at me, and to my own horror I felt my cheeks grow hot.

"I mean- _anyone_ would notice that you have been short tempered even with your friends," I hurriedly explained when he didn't immediately speak.

He slowly smirked. "You fancy yourself in love with me or something?" I must have looked completely flabbergasted because he laughed at my face. "You have to be mad to like someone who loathe your guts. Or maybe you're just a masochist? Is that it, Sakura? Do you secretly take pleasure from my remarks about how disgusting I find you?"

He stepped closer to me and I could feel his light breathing on my skin, right above my eye. It felt strange. "Every time I call you names you hurry back to your room to pleasure yourself, thinking of me?" he whispered cruelly.

With much force I pushed him away, my cheeks heating up from embarrassment. God, I hated him! "That's real mature, Hyuuga," I sneered taking a cautious step back. He only laughed in return.

"You're not denying it," he smirked.

"Of _course_, I'm denying it, you stupid oaf!"

"I don't even _care_ what you say," he said with emphasis, sounding like he was mostly talking to himself. "You're nothing. Just a boring self-righteous nerd that I'll never have to deal with again when these ridiculous sessions are over."

"Well, I couldn't agree more! Except for changing that description to 'a pompous big-headed arsehole who thinks he owns the world'!"

"I don't," he said angrily. "I don't think I own the world."

"_Yes_! Yes, you do!" I screamed back.

"Look, you little-," Hyuuga sneered but I made a shushing noise. "Somebody's coming! Hide, HIDE!" I whispered hectically shooing a furious Hyuuga behind a big curtain. I held my breath.

"Okay," Dawn said; her fat form jiggling as she stomped down the stairs in stiletto boots. "I am here."

Dawn is, apart from Hyuuga, a person I cannot seem to communicate with for the life of me. She has absolutely no sense of compassion or consideration for others. I knew she was assigned to patrolling the same night I was, but I'd hoped I would be able to avoid running into her.

"Lovely. Shall we go?" I said relieved. She didn't seem to notice anything unusual. I felt a wave of uneasiness run over me as I realized that I was currently trapped between the two people I loathed the most.

"Yes, because the sooner we go the sooner I'm back and away from you again."

"Well, Dawny-poo," I said closing the door behind her. "That would be true if it weren't for the fact that we sleep in the same dorm."

"Hmph!"

"Right. So…making our conversation as short as possible: I've decided I'm taking the 7th Floor Hallway. You can have 2nd Floor."

"I don't want 2nd Floor," said Dawn obstinately. "I want 7th."

"Well, I just called it, so you can't have it, sorry."

"I'm taking 7th Floor," Dawn told me. She emphasized this by moving to get in my face.

"Well…fine!" I said, turning around and walking away, secretly cheering. '"I didn't want your manky 7th Floor anyway!"

"My 7th Floor is _not_ manky!"

"It is if you've been stepping on it!" I called back. Walking fast; practically running around in a circle now. The stones of the Academy shook as Dawn also ran to catch up to me.

"Why are you such a twat?" she asked from behind me, huffing a bit.

"I have no idea. Why are you such a shithead? These will forever remain mysteries of the universe."

As I began walking I swear I heard a mocking laugh from behind the curtains.

**Natsume**

With my night out ruined by the confrontation with mum about inheriting my father's business, I wouldn't go so far as to describe last night as a "jolly good time". Then again, it did turn out rather amusing when Sakura nearly confessed her undying love for me. Or well. Sort of did. The thing that made me the most excited about it was how riled up I got her – I don't think she's been this affected by anything I've ever said before.

Now, this had gotten me thinking. If merely suggesting that she was attracted to me could piss her off this much – how would she react to touching? This was a whole new strategy I'd have to consider carefully. Even though I'd do almost anything to crush Sakura's spirit, I felt very, _very_ reluctant to initiate something that would involve actually_ touching_. Even the thought of something as banal as sweet talking her made me feel nauseous.

She might have been a tiny bit right though. I hadn't been feeling too good since the detention – not that I had cared much about what Sakura had droned on and on about, but if you get hit several times in the head within a short period of time, you can't help but feel dizzy. Shut up, it's the same principle.

And well, long story short, I'd been an arse. I knew that. But I wasn't usually one to apologize and, not wanting to begin with that sissy-crap now, I decided to just forget it ever happened and act accordingly.

"Where the fuck have you been?" I therefore asked Mochu as soon as he and Koko entered the room. I haven't seen any of them since we went to that pub last night – no calls, no messages, nothing.

"Where the fuck have I been? Where the fuck have _I_ been? God, you're an arsehole," Mochu said by way of an explanation.

"Fuck, Nat. I know things aren't going so well for you and you have problems and stuff, but, you know. We spent fucking hours looking for you the other night!" Koko added.

"Hours? More than one hour? At least two? I left at half-twelve, so you abandoned the search half-two, right? You must have walked a lot, eh?"

"Don't be a smartarse."

One day, maybe not in the next few weeks, but certainly in the conceivable future, somebody will be able to refer to me without using the word 'arse' somewhere in the sentence.

I decided it was time to change the subject. "Where's Ruka?"

This was apparently the wrong question because Mochu's brows lowered even further and Koko snorted loudly. "Haven't got a fucking clue. He's been gone a lot these last few days, something you would have _noticed_, if you hadn't been such an ars-"

"Yeah, yeah," I hurriedly interrupted him. "I get it." This means I'm sorry. I'm counting on them knowing that but you can never be sure when Ruka isn't around. He always gets my apologies.

"So what's this?" I inquired about a letter lying on the table.

"For you," Mochu grunted throwing himself down on a chair. Koko also sat seemingly absorbed in listening to his iPod. Good, they were slowly coming around.

I picked up the letter and saw that it was without sender. I breathed out in relief, because that meant it wasn't from my father. I opened it and slowly read:

_My dear student Natsume_

_As you are well aware, you and miss Mikan Sakura will be part of some sessions with the purpose of improving the problematic relationship between the two of you, and hereby hopefully bring the different groups at Alice Academy closer. Because this is of utmost importance, I expect the two of you to do your absolute best and go along with these sessions. To insure that this happens, the other teachers and I have decided to treat these sessions as an exam. If you fail to attend the sessions or if you do not follow the rules and/or assignments given in a session, you will be expelled from school._

_The first session begins tonight at eight pm._

_Looking forward to it! (HEART)_

_Professor Narumi_

...You've got to be freaking kidding me.

**Mikan**

"How was it?" asked Nonoko during breakfast.

"How was what?" I fired back angrily. "Patrolling the halls? Amazing, you'll never believe the halls I saw."

"Stop being sarcastic Mikan," said Hayden defiantly. "We're being serious here, how was it?"

"It can't be that bad if I'm still here now could it," I said not wanting to look at either of them. Instead, I drew my attention to the opened hall doors. I needed to talk to Hotaru, I needed some comforting of a sort. My heart sunk as I saw the next person walk in: Hyuuga.

He instantly locked eye contact with me, his eyes a deep reddish brown, I noticed. Neither of us looked away. Hyuuga was leaning against the hall door, arms crossed and looking extremely pissed off. I felt a burning in the pit of my stomach. He always made me feel uneasy.

"Mikan," said Hayden waving his hand in front of my face. I shook my head and faced him. "Sorry," I said with a forced smile. "Were you saying something?"

"Well, nothing important," he frowned. "But I expect you to listen all the same."

I grinned and slapped his arm lightly. "Wouldn't want to miss all the peals of wisdom you throw around."

"Hey!"

"Would you two lovebirds mind? _Somebody's_ trying to eat," Nonoko smirked.

"And _somebody's_ getting desperate for a little attention." I laughed loudly at Nonoko's affronted look.

"It's _ridiculous_!" Hyuuga's voice cut through every conversation like a sharp knife.

My head immediately snapped up and I found him standing in front of professor Narumi with fury in his eyes. Narumi said something and laughed but Hyuuga didn't seem to find it amusing at all. He replied in a low voice, his face curled in a sneer. Narumi shook his head sadly but looked otherwise unaffected. It was clearly that the conversation hadn't gone the way Hyuuga had planned. As Narumi turned to leave, Hyuuga finally shot the students looking a deathly glare and stormed back to his seat, where his friends sent each other confused looks.

"God!" said Hayden, once people started talking again. "Can you believe him?"

"Are you referring to Natsume Hyuuga or Professor Narumi?" Nonoko, who was sitting on my other side, asked breathlessly; perhaps a little charmed despite herself, though who knows why. "Because I can believe anything of Natsume Hyuuga. Anything! That boy practically runs our school!"

I looked up from my eggs and bacon, offended. "No, he doesn't. No, he doesn't, Nonoko! And I won't hear a word otherwise! You want to know who runs our school? I will tell you: the principal runs our school. Not some trumped up schoolboy with sadistic tendencies!"

Nonoko rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows you hate him. No need to go on about it every day and Sunday."

"I do not go—."

"Mikan, you're going to have to stop going on about him so much. He has spies! Any one of them could hear you now. You saw how the entire hall shut up just to listen to him. You put one toe out of line and we'll be worse off than last time," Hayden whispered looking serious.

"Spies in _our_ dormitory?" I asked. "I don't believe it."

"Believe it!" Nonoko said, cocking her head in the direction of Fat Lump Dawn Atherton. I glanced over as well.

"She could squeeze you like a pimple," warned Hayden.

"Like one of her pimples," I muttered, going back to my food, as it looked more important.

Nonoko started giggling. "Mikan!" she said, scandalized. "That's mean!"

"I am sorry," I replied. Not Contrite At All. "I'm a bad influence on you. You shouldn't listen to me."

"True," Nonoko said, and then actually proceeded to look around for different company. "Anna!" she called out to one of her other friends who was sitting two seats away. "Take me away from these scoundrels!" She got up and bit us farewell theatrically with a hand on her heart. I waved back and took a large bite of my toast. After a while I began wondering what Hayden was being so quiet for.

"What's wrong?" I asked, still munching on my toast.

"Hyuuga's staring at you," Hayden said out of the side of his mouth. I stopped eating and gave him a look.

"What kind of stare is it?"

"What?" Hayden asked dully. I had forgotten he was a boy and not my beloved Hotaru.

"Well okay," I said, attempting to simplify the question for his dense boy brain. "Does he look like he wants to kill me?"

"A little bit now that you mention it," he seemed a bit uneasy. "Do you want me to tell the principal while you run for it?"

"No, but thanks," I looked up at Hayden, giving him my best smile. "Hyuuga usually wants to kill me."

"Oh, I see," He said, smiling back. I gave his arm a squeeze, resting my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes. I felt lucky. I really didn't want to suffer through the day with threats from Luna and the possibility of Dawn appearing without my friends by my side to help lessen the blows.

"Mikan?" he asked a moment or so after I had closed my eyes. "Now Hyuuga looks like he wants to kill _me_." I opened my eyes, peeking at Hyuuga. Hayden was right. His murderous glare was now directed at Hayden.

"Ignore him, that's probably his way of hitting on you," I smiled, closing my eyes and reassuming my position.

"I don't exactly think that's it," Hayden muttered just as I was about to doze off.

"What do you mean?" I wasn't really paying attention, but this was apparently a big deal to him. He usually just let me sleep whenever I used his arm as a pillow. I felt his muscles tense up beneath my head, making the pillow rather hard. He wasn't that comfortable to lay on, he was much too built.

"He only wants to kill me when you're around," He said slowly, as if he didn't really want to admit to saying it.

"Well, Hayden," I giggled, "he hates me, and thus hates you for associating with me."

"That's still not it, Mikan," he sounded a little bit worried. He was taking this entire threat on my life thing much too seriously.

"Then what?" I looked up this time, he was starting to worry me.

"I think Hyuuga…_likes_ you."

"What?" For some reason, I was offended and a bit mad. "Hayden, boys don't treat the girls they like as if they want to murder them."

"Yes, they do," he gave me a slightly irritated look. "I would know."

"Really," I snorted before I could stop myself. It's not that Hayden was seen as an unattractive boy in our year, but he never dated a girl unless she asked him out. It was kind of odd to be getting advice on love from him.

"Yes, really," He shrugged, pushing me away from his arm. I glared at him before turning away from him. Hyuuga caught my eye quickly. He looked pretty pleased with what he had just witnessed.

"You're right," I muttered.

"What was that?" Hayden asked smugly. "I couldn't hear you over my wounded ego."

"I said you're right," I breathed, not wanting to make a sound.

"Exactly."

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Please leave a review and let me know what you think :-)


	9. Getting chummy

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Aah. I dig this. And I dig _you_ guys! Post a review and tell me what you think.

**Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most "problematic" students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will the result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might remind you of love.

**Words/**3086

**09: Getting Chummy**

_-x-_

**Natsume**

I'd been in a bad mood all day because of these sessions with Narumi and Mikan Sakura that would apparently take place over the year. When I had tried getting out of it by arguing rationally to Narumi this morning, he'd laughed in my face. And at this point I had spend the last twenty minutes destroying a paper plate until it was unrecognisable when Ruka, who'd been unusually quiet, dropped the bomb.

"I can't make the pub tonight, guys."

There's a mock-stunned silence.

"Don't mess about, Ruka." said Koko eventually.

Ruka sort of smiled, embarrassed. "No, really. I'm not coming."

"I'm warning you," said Mochu. "Unless there's an adequate explanation I'll kick your ass!"

Ruka didn't say anything.

"Come on, who are you going to see?" Koko asked.

He still didn't say anything.

"Ruka, have you pulled?"

Silence.

"I don't believe it," said Koko. "Where is the justice in this world? Where is it? Justice! Where are you? Ruka's out on a hot date, Nat's shagging Luna, Mochu's... being Mochu, and the best-looking and most intelligent of the lot of them isn't getting anything at all."

"What the hell do you mean I'm being me?" Mochu demanded.

"Nothing, it's just... you aren't exactly known for sleeping around, if you catch my drift."

"What the fuck-"

"So who's the girl?" I quickly interrupted before a full-blown fight could break out. Mochu's pretty sensitive when it comes to his fear of girls.

"It's Hotaru Imai, actually." Ruka smiled. _Oh._ She's friends with Mikan Sakura.

"The chairman's daughter? Are you crazy?" Mochu said shocked.

Ruka looked put out. "We're just going to study together. She won't go on a date with me. She can't see the point in dating, she says."

"What the hell. She said that?" I couldn't help but laugh at Ruka's expression. He looked like a kicked puppy.

In that very moment – just as I've happily forgotten about my recent troubles with idiotic teachers and the likes – Dick stumbled into the room stuttering out something incomprehensible. I raised a brow in question. This meant I didn't get what the hell he's on about.

"It's, uhm, Natsume... Hyuuga, I've got- (heavy breathing. He's obviously been running.) well, it's for you, I've been told."

Raised brow.

"Is that a letter you've got there, Dick?" Ruka inquired helpfully.

Dick nodded profoundly and handed me the white envelope he'd been slightly crumpling in his hand. The short moment of amusement I'd felt quickly disappeared. A letter with no sender.

"It looks like I wont be going to the pub tonight either," I said with assumed nonchalance. Koko and Mochu opened their mouths to protest but I interrupted before they got started. "_Don't_," I sneered, forgetting myself before grabbing my jacket from the back of my chair and strolled out the door. I was going for a smoke before meeting up for the first session with Mikan Sakura. And I'd have to inhale very deeply.

–

I turned a corner and saw Sakura standing in front of the door to Narumi's office, tapping her foot repeatedly against the floor.

"Why, fancy meeting you here, Sakura," I said, smirking. "Trust you to be here on time."

"Trust you to be _late_!" she snapped.

"What a cold greeting, _luv_." I said the last word slowly, clearly.

"What?" she sounded incredulous.

The flirtatious tone came so effortlessly it scared me. Deciding to just ignore it and enjoy how uncomfortable it was clearly making Mikan Sakura, I carried on.

"So, luv, while we wait for our loving teacher Tweedledum, how shall we fill the long hours of our captivity?" I asked as I messed up my hair, leaving it tousled. Waiting for her response, I leaned against the wall next to Narumi's office.

"Umm… I was supposed to talk to Hotaru before this, but I don't think I should subject her to you as well. Why spread the torture around, y'know?"

"Wanting to keep me all to yourself, eh? Well, that's understandable."

She looks possibly disturbed now, her eyes widening and her mouth opening and closing, before she spluttered: "Your ability to skew a slur into a flattering remark amazes me."

"_I _never fail to amaze you. Period."

"Shut up, Hyuuga!" Her face had turned a curious shade of red.

"Hmmm… This acute lack of witty ripostes on your part is leaving me with a sense of disappointment. Never tell me that Andou's total lack of mental acumen has leaked into your brain through some sort of hither unto unknown type of idiocy osmosis?"

"Tsubasa is not an idiot! He's— he is… very punctual."

"That's lame, Sakura, even for a—"

"A what, Hyuuga? A geek?"

"Actually, I was going to say for a girl." I said, smirking at her. "But if you put it that way..." Motioning that I was going to step closer to her, she quickly took a step back.

"Sexist pig."

"There's the slightly witty response I was waiting for. Pedantic bint." One step closer.

"Pedantic? Big word for a narrow-minded peer of the realm." One step away.

"Finally recognizing my aristocratic supremacy? I am amazed." One step closer. I'm beginning to really enjoy this.

"Ahh, and here comes the discriminatory slurs." She was so upset, she forgot to step away and we ended up standing right on front of each other.

"Sakura, let it go. Yes, I am your superior, but it has little to do with your geeky image. It's just the natural way of things. You are the pleb to my patrician, the Third Estate to my First, the Neanderthal to my early homosapien."

"Your humility astounds me!"

"Don't mention it."

Narumi turned a corner and came towards us, whistling merrily. "Ah! My two favourite students!" he greeted when he saw us. I strangely felt a short pang of disappointment but wasn't able to place it. I certainly wasn't supposed to feel disappointed just because my argument with Mikan Sakura had been interrupted. I'm just going to blame it on lack of sleep.

"Come in, come, in," said Narumi and waived us through the door.

**Mikan**

"What are you waiting for? Be seated," professor Narumi chirped. I looked around and noticed that he had changed the interior of his office. It now only held one small table with two chairs facing the other and a big, comfy-looking pushchair in the corner. It was obvious where he had planned for us to sit.

I hurried to the small table and threw myself into on of the chairs, making effort not to glance at Natsume Hyuuga and how he was taking to the seating arrangements.

I was feeling awkward around him. It had nothing to do with the encounter I'd had with him the night prior and it had everything to do with Hayden's innocent remark just this morning.

"_I think he likes you."_

It was just too strange. Too unbelievable, too revolting, too abso-_bloody_-lutely much! I hadn't asked for his fancy. Hell, I didn't even want it!

I'd been very sceptical. Even after I'd parted ways with Hayden and gone to classes throughout the day, I'd thought about it and I had reached the conclusion that it was a lie. There was no way in hell a guy like Natsume Hyuuga would fancy a girl like me. He was too self absorbed, too needy, too arrogant, too attention seeking... someone who would want a pretty little thing for a girlfriend that maybe wasn't too bright but who would share her admiration for him openly and be goody-good for his ego.

But the thing was that even someone as dense as me had heard the story of the pigtail-pulling boy before. I had just always assumed that it was something males grew out of, something only preschoolers did.

Anyway, about the time where Hotaru had given me the letter from professor Narumi concerning the first session, I'd decided it was stupid. Stupid to waste any more time pondering over – and definitely not something that held any truth to it. But as I stood waiting outside of professor Narumi's office, Natsume Hyuuga had appeared. And he'd been acting as if a guy like him _would_ in fact fancy a girl like me.

It was seriously freaking me out. Though, the weirdest thing was that it was strangely flattering to receive "almost" compliments and "almost" smiles from the most popular guy in school. I'm not shallow – really, I'm not. I care about personality and I know he's nothing special. Or well, he's too much something else to truly be lovable. But he could be charming, I saw that now.

"Let's begin, shall we?" professor Narumi's voice interrupted my confusing thoughts. I looked up and saw Natsume Hyuuga seated right in front of me, looking bored. As our eyes met, he winked at me. I quickly turned my gaze towards our professor, my cheeks heating up.

"What will you have Hyuuga and I do, sir?" I asked with dread.

"First, I want the two if you to call each other by your given names."

"Oh." My cheeks turned even redder if such a thing was possible.

"Can't," said Natsume Hyuuga. "Don't know it."

I scowled at him and he smirked in return. "It's Mikan!"

"Hn. Why is your name that of a five year old?"

"Right, Because _your_ name is so mature, _Natty Patty_!" I don't know where that came from, but the look on his face was definitely worth it.

"All right, all right," said professor Narumi calmingly. "No need to raise your voice. Anyway, Let's begin this with a small introduction, hmm?" He looked at each of us and when no one spoke, he began: "My name is Naru, my favourite desert is lemon pie and I've always wanted to be a teacher. Your turn, Mikan!"

I swallowed. "Um, my name is Mikan, I love all deserts, but I don't like cheese and crackers all that much. And, well... I would like to travel to foreign countries before coming back here and... then I want to work with children." There's a slight snicker. I snapped my neck when I looked up too fast to catch Natsume Hyuuga in the act. He's laughing at me. Maybe it's because he was flirting with me merely two minutes ago, or maybe too much had happened lately or maybe it's just because I know that's just the way he was, that's just what he _did_.

I felt my eyes burning. "Don't laugh at me, you insensitive prick!"

And he stopped. We stared at each other but I looked away, afraid of actually crying in front of him.

"You ought to listen to Mikan, Natsume. If I catch any of you making fun of each other, you're being held back a year," said Narumi breezily. "Now. Are we clear?" He looked at me and then more intensely at Natsume Hyuuga. We both nodded, me, hurried and embarrassed. Hyuuga, slowly and a bit hesitant. "Good. Now, it's your turn, Natsume."

His jaw was set so hard it looked like it hurt. "My name is Natsume Hyuuga, I don't care for sweet things and I don't know what I want to do."

I looked at him, surprised. "You don't have a dream for the future?"

He ignored me.

"You would laugh at my dream when you don't even have one of your own?" I asked in amazement.

"That's hardly a _real_ dream you've got there. Working with children – that's something you settle for, not something to strive for." He sounded so certain, so confident, and I felt my blood boil – not for the last time that day, I was afraid.

"You have _no_ right to mock other peoples dreams!" I screamed at him, pushing my chair back and standing up. "Someone like you, who doesn't even dream at all, you're the one who should really be pitied, because you're _pathetic_! It's pathetic to ridicule _anyone's_ dreams when you're just _afraid_ of dreaming yourself. You know what? I should be laughing at _you_ – you don't have even a shred of courage in you!"

"_You_'re the one always judging _me-"_

"Kids! Pipe down!" professor Narumi interrupted us with an amused sort of look on his face.

We did as he told us to but I still felt my heart beating rapidly against my chest, I was so angry. Hyuuga had gotten up to stand in front of me – looking livid. We both sat back down and I took a deep breath.

"Now, I'm going to go sit in my chair. And the two of you will get to know each other by playing twenty questions. Doesn't that sound like fun?" He was practically skipping towards his chair as I took some time to digest what he'd just told us. Twenty questions with someone like Natsume Hyuuga? I really didn't want to. To be honest, I was afraid he'd ask something – I had no choice but to be relatively truthful – and then he would use it against me.

"No yelling and no mocking, OK, guys? Enjoy!" he took out a comic book and began reading.

"Right," I began with a sigh. "What's your favourite colour then?"

Natsume Hyuuga rolled his eyes. "Red." He looked strained. "Yours?"

"Mine's blue." Complete contrasts. How lovely.

**Natsume**

She kept asking me trivial questions and I was playing along. Favourite food, favourite TV-show, best friend...

I struck as soon as I saw her relaxing her body posture. She believed she was safe, that I'd play it by the rules. She had another thing coming.

"Are you a virgin?"

She paused, eyes wide, then frowned. "That's absolutely _none_ of your damn business."

I didn't answer, barely concealing a smug smile from appearing on my lips. She had to answer. I knew it and she knew it. It was only a matter of time.

"I am," she then said slowly, looking like she was forcing herself.

"Figured." I said this calmly, but my heart beat faster in my chest. I was feeling excited and I had no idea why. Mikan Sakura was now confirmed to be a prude and I liked it?

"Well, what about you then? How many girls have _you_ shagged?" an ugly frown married her features as she looked at me with eyes ablaze.

"Don't know."

"How can you not know? That's disgusting!"

"Since you know nothing about this subject, you'd do well to keep your mouth shut." God, she was a meddlesome one.

"It's my right to have an opinion about this even if it's something-"

"You've only read about in books?"

"Natsume Hyuuga-!" she was yelling by now, looking seconds away from getting up and walking out the door. Then Narumi cleared his throat profoundly. Mikan Sakura took a deep breath.

"What I'm saying is that I'd only want to do it with someone I truly care about. I don't think it's something that should be taken so lightly." She frowned slightly, meeting my gaze with serious eyes.

"Two."

She looked confused for a moment, then formed a small 'oh' with her mouth and looked down, her cheeks red. I shifted, feeling a bit uneasy with this new silence that had occurred between us. An awkward one.

I shook it off, "Biggest fear?"

She looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. I think it might be to lose someone I love."

I suddenly had trouble breathing, my stomach tied in knots and a lump formed in my throat. "Yeah." My voice is hoarse. "Me too."

She looked surprised at this but didn't say anything.

"What's your family like?"

"Normal."

She snorted. "What's normal like?"

I shifted, "the usual," I replied. "Nervous Wreck Mother and Emotionally Blunted Father." I made it sound as if it was a joke. It kind of was. Still hurt like hell, though.

She'd seen it. I had made sure to cover it up quickly but for a miniscule moment there'd been pain in my expression. And Mikan Sakura had fucking seen it. I could tell from her troubled look, her look of almost pity. I felt sick to my stomach.

"Wipe that look off," I told her coldly.

"Sorry," she said, looking down. It shocked me how easily she said the word. We'd never apologized for anything we'd said or done to each other before. It would mean defeat. Hell, it _meant _defeat. But not for Mikan Sakura. She'd apologized to me as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Like I was a person that deserved her apology. I wasn't – we both knew. But she'd said it anyway.

After that we drifted back to safe topics, but it wasn't all that bad. It was like we'd made a consent agreement not to pry into each others business more than what was necessary.

Instead, I made her tell me about her habit of drinking directly from the milk carton, and that she still had a teddy bear that she claimed she wasn't still sleeping with, and how she hated it when people bit their nails, and that she thought feet were generally disgusting.

In return, I revealed that I hated water, how I sometime liked to smoke when no one else was around, that I liked to watch The Tudors (she'd laughed at that), that little kids with no respect for their elders annoyed me and how I found books with women as main characters boring ("I'll lend you a Jane Austen book next time," she'd exclaimed with excitement).

"Time's up! We'll meet again next week. I'll se to that you get a letter about time and place," Narumi said suddenly, standing up from his chair. "Well, goodnight!" he continued, when neither of us spoke. I stood slowly, nodded to Narumi and left the room.

It was strange how time had passed by so quickly.

**A/N: Post a review and tell me what you think :-)**


	10. New discoveries

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Some of Natsume's past is revealed! :-)

**Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most "problematic" students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will the result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might possibly be love.

**Words/**2656

**10: NEW DISCOVERIES**

-x-

**Mikan**

That night I'd had a dream about Natsume Hyuuga. Nothing sexual, I assure you but I still found it vexing that he'd somehow found a way to get into my head and swarmed his way into my dreams. I don't remember it all, it was something strange as all my dreams usually are, but when I woke up I'd lied in bed for a second longer trying to remember what it had been about. And that's when Natsume Hyuuga's face had flashed in my mind and I knew he'd been in my dream.

As I stood to get dressed I'd felt myself frowning, trying to come up with some logical explanation for his sudden appearance in my dream. I'd reached the conclusion that it had something to do with the session the night before.

I was a bit shocked, to be honest. I'd never – for the life of me – imagined having a decent conversation with Natsume Hyuuga. Well, that's not entirely true. The first week of high school, before I discovered his true fickly self, I'd swooned a bit like the rest of the girls. Imagined going out with him and therefore obviously conversing with him. But enough of the naïve past me. _Present_ me was shocked. I think I knew things about Natsume Hyuuga now that a lot of other people didn't.

I'm not sure what to think of that.

"But we don't care to think about him," I told myself in the mirror, tying my hair into a high ponytail. A second later Hotaru kicked the door to my room open and shot me an impatient look. Grimacing at the mirror I mumbled, "We _don't_" with conviction and stood to follow Hotaru outside.

"Idiot," Hotaru greeted me and we both proceeded to hurry down the hallway to get breakfast. That's the great thing about me and Hotaru – we both have an abnormally big appetite and don't function normally until our stomachs are full. So when we are in our silent agreement to get something to eat, we are unstoppable. Which is why I later pity Ruka when he tried to greet Hotaru that morning. She flat out ignored him and strolled directly for the dining hall. One day, I'll have to explain to him that if he wants to impress her he should never stand in the way of her food.

"Morning," Tsubasa said as we finally sit down with two big plates of food. I mumbled something in return and stole a quick glance across the table to where I know Natsume Hyuuga always sit. He's reading the newspaper and his brows are furrowed as he sipped at his coffee. I snorted, when he pushed Luna away with annoyance. He's obviously not a morning person. As my stomach rumbled, I remembered my plate with bacon and eggs. I quickly begin stuffing myself and my brain eventually starts functioning and something hits me.

I'd forgotten to ask Natsume Hyuuga about his relationship with Tsubasa. Last night was the perfect opportunity to ask and I'd completely forgotten all about it! For a while I debated whether or not I should just ask Tsubasa again. I took a quick look around. Hotaru hat seated herself a bit away with Nonoko and seemed preoccupied with her food and Hayden as nowhere in sight. Oh, well. I'd always been more of an 'action' kind of girl, anyway.

I leaned over the table and caught Tsubasa's eyes. "So..." I began.

He quirked his lips in a smirk. "So?"

I swallowed, suddenly nervous. He'd avoided this subject before. "What_ is_ the deal with you and Natsume Hyuuga?" I rambled.

The look on his face changed in an instant. His eyes narrow and his mouth curl downwards. But only for a split second. Then he looked down and stuffed some egg into his mouth. "I'm having a deja vú," he sounded calm. "And it's a real dull one."

"Well, I want to know! You seem to really detest him," I shrugged.

Tsubasa snorted. "Well, so do you. Nothin' strange there."

"Yes, but that's because he always acts like an arrogant snot around me. The two of _you_ hardly _ever_ talk. Or I assumed you didn't but..." I stopped talking letting my insinuation sink in.

"We went to middle school together," he grumbled in reply.

"Oh?" I tried not to sound to interested. "What happened?"

He sighed. "Mikan, I really don't think-"

"Tell me what happened," I interrupted him.

"Mikan-"

"Tsubasa, would you just tell me?" I demanded, raising my voice for the effect. He grimaced at me.

"Why do you wanna know anyway?" he asked. "What's it got to do with you?"

"I don't-" I began but stopped myself. "Because I want to know. Please."

It was the please that did it.

–

"We were friends," Tsubasa began. "I thought we were, anyway."

"Really?" To say I was surprised would be an understatement.

"Yeah, he was fun. He had this dark, ironic sense of humour that I liked (I snorted at that). So I'd hang out with him and Ruka and we'd have a blast. But Natsume was always sort of quiet and I only realised later that he never really talked about himself, you know? He never mentioned his family and we never hang around his home, I didn't even know where he lived."

At this point I'd gotten quiet. Tsubasa was always a great storyteller and somehow a story about Natsume Hyuuga intrigued me.

Tsubasa sighed, "But then one day somethin' awful happened to his family. I can't tell you what – No, Mikan, don't interrupt – even if I despise him it's still his business."

I crossed my arms with a huff but remained silent, knowing he was right.

"Well, after that he wasn't the same."

"So you stopped being his friend?"

"No, not right away, I didn't. But we were only in middle school, all right? He changed a lot. He was angry all the time, always pissing people off, both teachers and students. He'd never really had this rebellious streak before, but now he never did anything he was told. No one knew what to do with him. The thugs in the neighbourhood suddenly knew his first name, because he'd ditch us and hang with them. I guess he didn't want to be around people who knew him, 'cause then they'd ask questions, obviously. And he wouldn't answer. His parents sent him to a shrink but I heard from his mother that he stayed silent the whole time – _55 minutes_, Mikan! He wouldn't talk to nobody, wouldn't spend time with nobody – he cut us all off. And I would have been all right with that, I had accepted it. Until he did something unforgivable."

I was breathing unevenly from sheer excitement. "What? What did he do?"

Tsubasa leaned even further across the table and looked me dead in the eye. "He almost killed his best friend."

"Who was it?" I whispered.

"You know him, Mikan. It was Ruka."

"But... How could that happen? I don't understand." I felt feverish, trying to grasp the extent of Tsubasa's story. But it was too big, I felt small, my troubles insignificant compared to this. It felt like a tragedy. Like I'd opened Pandora's box without knowing what I'd unleashed.

"I don't know how it happened. But I saw Ruka when he got to the hospital, Mikan. He was close to death, the doctors said so. But I knew it before. I knew it the moment I caught a glimpse of him. He looked completely beaten up." Tsubasa held his head in his hands, voice muffled. I patted his back carefully.

"I confronted Natsume about it but he wouldn't tell me anything! He said nothing, ignored me, acted as if he couldn't care less about Ruka!" Tsubasa rasped. He looked feverish, his eyes glassy. "I couldn't forgive him. He'd proven that he didn't give two shits about his friends and I didn't want to be a part of it any longer."

He'd calmed himself but appeared to be repressing his true emotions. I'd never seen Tsubasa this agitated ever before.

I moved my gaze to the corner table where Ruka sat beside Natsume. They were laughing together. "But Ruka forgave him," I said softly. "Why'd he do that?"

"Beats me," Tsubasa sniffed. "Look, can you not mention this to anyone? I don't want it getting out. For Ruka's sake."

I nodded my head and patted his back one last time. "I won't tell."

He sighed heavily and got up. "See you around, Mikan."

Later that evening, I found myself deserted in the library. I'd been in a daze all day, feeling more and more that I'd butted into something that was none of my business. I'd never been good with the long and hard thinking and as it had taken up my thoughts all day I realised much too late that I needed to get a book for class tomorrow. While I'd strolled along the bookshelves looking for it, the librarian seemed to have gone missing and before I knew it, the lights had gone out. I reached into my back pocket for a lighter yet I didn't have one. Of course, I didn't, why would I? I stamped my feet in the ground letting out a small scream. Might as well be childish when no one was there to see me.

"Damn it," I muttered angrily.

Gnawing on my lower lip nervously, I called out shakily, "Hello?"

At first, there was no response, then I let out another small scream as I heard footsteps from behind me and a hand being placed on my shoulder. "Who's here?" a deep voice asked me. I must've let out another yelp, because the voice responded with irritation, "Calm down, will you?" And I suddenly knew who it was.

"H-Hyuuga, uh, Natsume?" I squeaked out, squinting my eyes to try to make out his figure.

"Mikan," he greeted me sarcastically, making my name sound like an insult.

"Yeah, what's going on?" I asked trying to calm my beating heart and control the fear in my voice. I never felt comfortable in the dark. A bloody cliché, yes, but nonetheless true.

"Not sure. I was in the corner studying for Math when the lights just went out. Did you try to get me alone in here or something?" he asked, smirking in the dark, his hand somehow still on my shoulder.

"No," I said harshly, shrugging his hand off. "I don't want to talk to you," I informed him as a matter-of-factly, stalking off.

However, I didn't go far for I bumped into a chair and cursed outwardly, rubbing my knee. "Are you all right there, Sakura?" Hyuuga asked me, laughing. Reaching out for me, he grabbed my hair to which I yelped. "Very sorry," he said automatically, somehow not sounding like it at all. I was a bit too frightened to let his indifference bother me.

"That's all right," I said softly after a moment. "I walked into something," I confessed.

"So I noticed." Hyuuga's voice sounded closer to me than it had been mere seconds before. "Can you stand?" I tried not to sound too surprised at his question. It sounded like he was concerned for me. But then again – it was most likely a trick so he could mock me.

I was surprised to notice my heart beating even faster as he approached me in the dark. Tsubasa's story must have affected me more than I had realised and Natsume Hyuuga now frightened me more than he ever had before.

When I felt him reach for me, I instinctively slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me!"

**Natsume**

I narrowed my eyes trying to locate her face in the dark. "Relax, would you?" I growled. She acted like she thought I would hurt her. It pissed me off. "It's not like I'll hit a girl."

Silence except for her shallow breathing. Then: "But you'd hit a boy?"

… _What? _"What are you on about?"

"I mean if I were... If I were a boy, you'd hit me?"

"Look, Sakura, I don't know what the hell you're talking about but you're _not_ a boy. I know people doubt it daily but you seem to have forgotten I was present when you waltzed around only clad in a towel," I smirked.

"No, that's not what I-" she spluttered in outrage and embarrassment. "I'm talking about a _best_ friend – you'd really hit your best friend?"

I bristled. "_What?_"

"Never mind. It's nothing!" she assured me, scrambling to her feet in a hurry to get away.

"No, no, Sakura," I said dangerously calm. "We should talk about this. About what you think you know and who the hell told-" I came to a halt, feeling cold. "Andou told you."

My eyes had gotten used to the dark so I could glimpse her slowly nodding her head. "But he didn't want to," she whispered. "I made him." I didn't know if that statement was supposed to be helpful, I only knew that it wasn't. My chest hurt badly and I fumbled for a chair and sat down heavily.

"Are you all right?" Sakura asked me nervously and stepped closer. I had every right to be angry with her but instead I just felt incredibly tired. Maybe that was why I let my guard down.

"Why do you keep dong that?" I asked her quietly.

"Doing what?"

"Making me feel like shit."

She breathed deeply. "Are you being serious? After everything you've put _me_ through? You're the one always making _me_ feel bad."

"No, it's not the same," I said with a dismissive wave. "You don't really care what I say. I know you forget about it soon after. For me, it's different. I think about it. The things you say, I mean."

We're silent and I start regretting ever saying anything at all when she's suddenly taking a step closer to me. "I remember," she said in a quiet voice. "when you asked me why I hated you so much and I said it's because you go through life not caring about anyone." I was silent waiting for her to continue. "But that's not true, is it? You _do_ care. And I think I _knew_ that, unconsciously, and that's why I was so shocked to hear about... about you and Ruka."

"Yeah, well, there's more to it than whatever Andou told you."

Her voice was careful, sombre. She knew she was approaching a no entry-area. "He said something awful happened. That you changed."

"So? What are you asking?" I snapped, fed up with her tiptoeing around the subject. "You want to know what happened? If I still thinking about it, if I'm sorry – _What_?"

She clamped her mouth shut, her big brown eyes looking at me. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, the lights returned and I blinked, the sudden brightness hurting my eyes. The librarian jumped in shock from seeing us and quickly told us to get back to our respective dormitories. "Youngsters these days," she mumbled shaking her head.

It'd be embarrassing to say that I stood abruptly and bolted out of the door but that was exactly what happened.

I didn't look back even once.

**A/N: Post a review and let me know what you think ;-)**


	11. The mystery of Natsume Hyuuga

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Jeez, I think I have to answer some of the reviews you guys posted. Some of you think the story is really confusing, though you didn't really say what was exactly, but I'm guessing it might have been the points of view. But other than indicating who's point of view it is with bolted letters and the name I'm not sure what I can do different.

Other than that: Some of you mentioned that Natsume has gone soft. I'm not sure if I agree here, I bet all of you read the manga and there it's quite clear that Natsume _is_ in fact a big softie? Or well, I don't wanna call it being soft, because I don't think that is what it's called exactly but he is _not_ someone who doesn't care, is actually very honest and has no trouble saying what's on his mind when he's alone with Mikan. But this doesn't mean that Natsume doesn't regret spilling the beans in my story – don't you worry, he's still an emotionally stunted meanie and he doesn't care about anyone outside of his little world (but somehow Mikan has become part of it. A small part)

→ ANYWAYS, thanks a lot to the people who took the time to post a review! As always, it makes me really, REALLY happy and encourage me to update a lot sooner :-)

**Summary/**As arch enemies, and on different sides of the social ranking, you'd think Mikan and Natsume would stay that way until graduating and then forget each other's guts for good. But when they ripped the last straw, the teachers now wants to reunite their two most "problematic" students in a dangerous game of their own prejudice and pride. Can they succeed in their task or will the result be making things worse than ever?

**Rating/**+T

**Genre/**Mainly love and drama, with hints of comedy, teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might possibly be love.

**Words/4275**

**11: THE MYSTERY OF NATSUME HYUUGA**

-x-

**Natsume**

"Get the hell out of the way," I sneered, not caring that the girl I'd collided with had lost her balance and fallen to the floor. After all, the clash had been quite deliberate on my part. The girl on the floor was Sakura's friend and if Sakura hadn't been walking right beside her, I wouldn't have bothered to push her in the first place.

"Hey!" Mikan Sakura gave me a disapproving look and I glared back, trying to get the message across: _I don't give a shit. _It's starting to work, I think. Mikan Sakura's look of understanding and, god forbid, pity had changed as almost a week since the incident in the library had passed. But believe me when I say it had been hard work. I'd had to purposely act like a complete asshole every time she was near to make her see that the "moment" we'd shared in the library had been nothing more than a mistake.

Now she's back to hating my guts and I was supposed to be back to not caring. Except I'm not. So this was shit. Complete and utter bullshit.

"Na-tsu-me," Luna breathed in my ear. I really hated it when she did that. Normally I'd have made sure she wouldn't do anything like that ever again. But now, I had bigger issues to deal with than Luna and her intruding on my personal space so I just pushed her slightly out of the way.

She pouted. "What's wrong?"

_Everything_ was wrong. I'd been reminded of an unpleasant past, had a heart-to-heart talk with Mikan Sakura and, upon realizing the seriousness of the situation, I had abandoned all thoughts of keeping posture and had ran out the door. Yes, I ran. Not strolled, or walked or even hurried (with firm, determined steps) but _ran_. Like a fucking pussy.

"Nothing," I snapped, pretending to read the paper.

"You can tell me, you know," she whispered, moving closer. I was very close to pushing her off of me when I felt her breasts pressing lightly against my arm.

Oh, well. It had been a while since I had gotten laid and Luna was a very willing subject to indulge in such matters with. I leaned down to snog her, determined to think of something else than my current worries. There was really no reason for me to think about it. So what if I'd been carried away in the library with a person with whom I absolutely shouldn't have. So what if I'd had a momentarily slip. A lapse in judgement. A mental breakdown.

But I wasn't some goddamn pussy and I had to make sure Mikan Sakura knew that she would _never_ see me like that again. Ever.

… Running was something guys like Gayden did.

"Natsume, what's the matter?" Luna broke off the kiss to look at me weirdly.

As I said, it was all complete bull.

–

"So how'd that study date with the principal's daughter go?" Koko asked Ruka with an innocent smile, to which he merely groaned loudly and smacked his head against the table.

"That bad, eh?" Koko grinned despite his pitying tone. "Seducing women is like music. You need to know the instrument to play it well."

"I'm just gonna ignore that comment," Ruka sighed lifting his head to look at me. "Nat," he began, "I'm considering becoming a monk. Seriously."

"Well, that's certainly _not_ the way to play it," Koko snorted.

I smacked Koko's head before he could spout anymore crap. "Fuck," he cursed. "Fine! Be a virgin forever and see if I care. If the two of you ever get around to dropping the miserable sucker act, you can join me and Mochu at the pub where we'll be having a blast celebrating life." He got up and stalked towards the door muttering something about "wankers" and "zero understanding of music" as he slammed it after him.

"So," I said as I pulled out a chair and sat down, "there's a girl messing with your head."

"Not so much messing," Ruka finally mumbled, "She doesn't even mean to. That's what's so bloody wrong with the picture! She clearly doesn't think of me like that." He's looking downright miserable and I pondered whether or not this is the situation where I borrow Koko's 'sad old bastard' music and play it to him – but I decide against it.

"She agreed to study with you, thought, right?" I said instead. "Usually, that means they doesn't think of you as a complete wanker."

He nodded slowly, considering my words.

I smirked at his thoughtful face and leaned back. "You've got taste, I'll give you that. She's hot."

Ruka looked at me quickly, a mixture of different emotions battling for dominance in his face. "Yeah, she's pretty. But I don't wanna just _shag_ her, you know? I want to... talk to her."

Honestly, I _don't_ know. In all my life there had never been a girl apart from my family with whom I'd wanted to have an actual conversation. There had been girls I had wanted to snog until their eyes glazed over and their lips were blood red. There had been girls where I had wanted to run my hands up and down their naked bodies and girls I had wanted to shag. But girls I would want to actually talk to? Tell stuff to and listen to what they had to say in return? Never.

"So talk to her." I failed to see the reason why Ruka was making such a big deal out of this.

"But she makes me nervous as hell!" he exclaimed, "I like her, Nat. I don't want to fuck things up."

_Oh._ "Well, then just... don't," I finished lamely. My best friend getting hung up on some girl and wanting to talk to her was an entirely new subject and I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be saying in a situation such as this.

What worried me was that Ruka seemed to think that having actual conversations with a girl equalled liking her. It really didn't.

The only girl I'd ever told anything remotely personal about myself to was, for some unfathomable reason and mostly Naru's fault, Mikan Sakura. That reminded me why I had been so stressed out all week and made me feel like shit all over again.

"Let's go the the pub and celebrate, Ruka," I decided, interrupting his sulking look.

"Why, what's there to celebrate?" he muttered.

"Soccer victory?" I offered to which he scoffed. "We'll drink your sorrows away then. You coming?"

He groaned but got up and followed me out anyway.

–

Much, much later that night I am slightly pissed and on my way back to the dorm. Alcohol had helped me forget all kinds of shit but Ruka had gotten way too much to drink and I had been worried when he started calling me "Imai" and tried to embrace me. Naturally I had gotten out of there, leaving Ruka to Mochu. I was sobering up anyway and wanted some time alone to think.

The night was clear and not too cold as I slowly made my way through the empty streets. The lamps were on even though it wasn't all that dark, I could see perfectly fine. Just as the academy was in sight, and I step onto the road, there is something moving fast that I only see from the corner of my eye.

From then, everything happened fast. I felt, more than saw the car coming closer, then someone was pulling me back. Away from a much too sudden dead. A subtle flowery scent hit my nose. Soft hair tickling my face. The adrenalin was made my heart beat rapidly against my chest and then I turned around and met the worried eyes of Mikan Sakura. She was standing there in sweatshirt and slacks, a newly bought chocolate bar dropped on the ground. Her grip around my arm was strong, actually, I hadn't believed Mikan Sakura to have such a strong grip at all. She just stood there, holding my arm in such a bloody strong grip, like she was afraid I'd get run over by another car if she let me go.

I quickly let my emotions slide behind a mask of indifference, as I had done so many times before. And then I realized she had just saved my bloody life. Or maybe I wouldn't exactly _die_ by getting run over by a car- but I'd certainly end up in a hospital. No, Sakura had saved me. And I couldn't help but wonder why.

We were natural enemies, as different as two people could get. Our relationship was built entirely on our hatred for each other. For as long as I could remember, I had used any given opportunity to hurt her, humiliate and break her in any way possible. I knew she'd had mutual feelings. What was different now? Just because we'd had a little heart-to-heart, she didn't seriously think we were friends now, did she? I'd done anything to make her forget it! Wasn't this the perfect opportunity for Sakura to get the revenge I knew she longed for? She could have let me get run over but she didn't. And what was with this worry I could see in her eyes? I faintly wondered if I would have saved her if the situation was turned around, and she was me- stepping out in front of that car.

"Have you gone completely _bonkers_?" her shaken voice broke the silence and my thoughts were interrupted. Something of which I was quite glad- to my own utter horror I had felt a stirring emotion inside me, when I thought of Sakura being run over instead of me- Freaking _guilt_. God, I was losing it.

"_'Bonkers'_ Sakura?" I asked and was quite happy that my voice sounded much more calm than my beating heart. That's how I should always be in any situation. Calm and collected. Not showing any embarrassing feelings, that's what could really betray you. "How so? Last time I checked you were the only mad person around."

She quickly let go of my arm as if she was burned by our mere touch. "Why are you like that?" she asked, the worry in her eyes quickly changing into anger. "Don't you realize you could've been killed if I hadn't been here?"

"Then what do you want? Do you want me to be thankful? I didn't ask for you to do that. Do you want me to cry? I'm not that kind of person, Sakura. Or maybe you want me to make it up to you? Am I in your debt now, is that it?"

The slap came out of the blue. She'd tried slapping me before, but I had always managed to stop her. This time I'd been so occupied with keeping my voice from shaking, getting more and more angry with myself for _letting_ her save me, _letting_ myself be indebted to her, of all people.

My cheek burned, and I was vaguely sure that it'd leave a mark afterwards. Sakura was breathing heavily and she looked tearful. But I noticed something in her eyes I had never seen before. It wasn't hate, anger, or sadness. She looked very tired. As if I was someone who sucked the energy out of her, stole her happiness away or something. "Contrary to what you believe, Natsume, not everyone is out to get you all the time. It won't hurt you to be more honest," she whispered. I stared at her, dumbfounded when she walked away, her chocolate bar forgotten on the ground.

I didn't even like flowers.

**Mikan**

This might be the most angry I had ever been with anyone in my entire life. I ran into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My heart was beating loudly in my chest and my hands were still shaking slightly. I let out a small scream of frustration not wanting to wake everyone up but still not being able to hold it in.

How could anyone be so indifferent when they had been that close to a life threatening situation? How could he be two seconds away from getting run over and still act like he didn't care? I mean, _I_ was shaking all over and I hadn't even been the one in danger!

I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out the mystery of Natsume Hyuuga. On the one hand, he was the most arrogant and superstitious person you'd ever meet, he was cold and cruel and everything he said was hurtful. On the other hand, there seemed to be more to him, sometimes I thought he seemed almost human. Like in the session with professor Narumi where he had told me stuff about himself, or last week in the library where he confessed to me that my opinion mattered. Just when I was about to slightly change my mind about him, he then goes on acting like the world's biggest wanker. At the same time he somehow still managed to be beautiful. Because he is, you know, beautiful. It confused me how someone who appeared so flawless could be so flawed inside.

It was complicated and I didn't like complicated. I had always been a simple girl and I liked the people around me to be simple too. I have never been good at solving puzzles and I wasn't about to begin now.

Anyway, I hated thinking of something I didn't understand and was quick to decide not to. I fell asleep and dreamt of chocolate (I'd forgotten the chocolate bar I'd had to buy so late at night because I had been having cravings) and only woke when someone kicked my bed the next morning.

I groaned, "stop it."

"Mikan." A whispered voice. Slightly panicked.

I raised my head. "Horaru?" I was astonished. Never had I seen Hotaru look as frantic as she did at that moment. "What is it?" I asked completely awake.

"You have to hide me," she said in a voice that told me she couldn't believe she was asking this either.

"Why?"

"Will you just-"

She was cut off by a loud voice calling her name from outside my room. "Imai, where are yooouuu?"

Hotaru froze. I yawned. "What're you doing, playing hide and seek?"

She stood less graceful than I'd ever seen her and looked around. She must have caught sight of my curtains – the long, pink ones – because she jumped, nearly throwing herself behind them. Just in time as well, a split-second later Ruka Nogi opened the door with a big smile plastered on his face. "Imai!"

He spotted me and the smile left his face. I looked at him, slightly disoriented. "Have you seen her?" he asked me. "You must have. She's so beautiful after all."

I stared at him in something akin to awe.

"She keeps running from me, the little minx. But I'll get her, only a matter of time," he said proudly.

"Uh..." My eyes strayed towards the curtain but I managed to catch sight of Hotaru's hand movement across the neck. _Betray my position and you're dead_. "No," I shook my head. "I haven't seen her."

Rarely have I seen anyone look so dejected. "She hates me," Ruka nearly sobbed.

I blinked. "I'm sure that she doesn't... _hate_ you. I'm sure-"

"I _feel_ funny," Ruka interrupted me with a surprised look as he staggered a little. "IMAAAIIIII!" He called, turned around proceeding to open the door. He fumbled two times before succeeding with a "HA!" and then ran out.

I tried to close my mouth but found it impossible. "What _was_ that?" I wondered aloud.

"It seems," began Hotaru as she emerged from behind the curtains, "that Nogi had too much too drink last night. Apparently these are the effects of his hangover," she finished sourly.

Impulses are a bitch. You can't help them. So obviously, I laughed.

When we stood in front of the dining hall ten minutes later, I wasn't laughing anymore. Hotaru smacking me on the head had been a strong antidote for that. Besides, I also felt kind of sorry for Ruka. This behaviour really, _really_ didn't do anything to improve Hotaru's impression of him.

I touched my head carefully, feeling the beginning of a bump where Hotaru hit me. "It really hurts, Hotaruu!" I complained, shooting her a sulking look.

She wasn't paying attention as she kept looking into the hall with frenzied eyes. "He's not _there_, Hotaru, for God's sake! Stop acting like you're the guard in _Silence of the Lamb_ and he's Hannibal Lector, craving you for dinner!"

"Who's Hannibal Lector?" an amused voice asked and both Hotaru and I jumped slightly. As I turned around I met Natsume's eyes. We looked at each other briefly before he turned his head away, suddenly looking uncomfortable. God, the boy is PMS, I tell you.

"No one," I mumbled to his friend, the one who had spoken. He had sandy coloured hair and seemed to be a tricky fellow. But he looked like a person who smiled a lot and that was pleasing. "Just your friend, Ruka."

"Oh, we were just looking for him, weren't we, Nat?"

Whatever Natsume was doing, he wasn't focused on the conversation and therefore didn't answer. The sandy coloured guy shrugged his shoulders and grinned at us. "Sorry, he's been like that all day."

I furrowed my brows and wanted to say something, what I'm not sure, just something but I didn't get the change as Natsume finally looked up, "Let's go, Koko," he mumbled avoiding my eyes. The sandy coloured guy named Koko winked at us and followed Natsume into the dining hall.

"What is wrong with Hyuuga?" Hotaru asked when she had calmed down after making sure that Ruka truly was nowhere to be seen.

I swallowed the sausage I had just picked up from a table and put in my mouth. "I don't really know. I don't get it either." We sat down at our usual seats at a table in the corner of the hall. I quickly began filling a plate.

She looked at me earnestly. "Is something going on between the two of you?"

I choked. "N-no, nothing's going on!" I tried to hold her gaze but more so than coming off as the truthful and calm person I'd hoped for I ended up staring at her with slightly psychotic eyes. As I've mentioned before, lying was never a skill in my repertoire.

Like I had expected, Hotaru only looked more stern. "Mikan, at risks of sounding like Nonoko – if you are sleeping with Hyuuga-"

"IF I_- WHAT_?"

"-you should rethink that decision," she finished calmly.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" I hissed trying to lower my voice, "there is _nothing_ of that sort going on – absolutely NOTHING. The only physical contact I wish having with that guy is when I imagine myself _strangling_ him!"

Hotaru looked at me with suspicious eyes. "That does not explain the sexual tension between the two of you," she stated and had me choking on a mouthful of sausage and eggs that ended up landing back on the plate.

"Ew, _gross_," Hayden greeted me and sat down with Nonoko in tow.

I didn't give any hint of recognition, too upset with the current conversation, "Hotaru, you are deluded. Have you been brain damaged by Ruka? Because, honestly, you sound just as crazy as he does!" Normally, I wouldn't ever attempt to insult Hotaru in any way but I was feeling tired, confused and angry with the whole situation with Natsume and Hotaru's assumptions weren't exactly making me feel better.

"I am going to ignore that comment, Mikan," Hotaru said after seconds of icy cold silence. "Because I can tell that you are genuinely upset." With those words she got up not looking at me once.

"Where are you going?" Nonoko asked carefully.

"The dorms, I imagine. To finish a report." I knew she was only going there to hide from Ruka and though I felt bad for snapping at Hotaru, right then I couldn't deal with her and her detective-ways. She could find someone else to play interrogator with, preferably someone in actual _need_ of psychological counselling. Ruka would be an obvious subject and a willing one too.

As Hotaru left the hall, Nonoko and Hayden both looked at me in question but I merely shrugged my shoulders in return. They let it go and Nonoko began taking about her project in science class as Hayden groaned in despair (no one but Nonoko and Hotaru thought science was actually an interesting class). I toned them out and tried to concentrate on the food on my plate. To be honest, it wasn't just Hotaru's comment. I was tired of people mentioning Natsume Hyuuga to me all the time. I was tired of thinking about him, of his PMS-ing ways, how his awkwardness made me awkward as well, how everything just bounded up being this total cockfuck of different, negative emotions between us.

I felt a really bad day approaching, sighing deeply at the recollection that maths with Professor Jinno was my first double class followed closely by science. If I was still alive and kicking after that, I had to attend the obligatory study class with professor Narumi. Don't get me wrong, he was my favourite teacher and his classes were usually a blast. With today's short temper, though, I wasn't really one to give any guarantees.

–

_THE STUDY HALL_

Since Nonoko was in the middle of some scientific project she mentioned, Hotaru was still hiding from Ruka and Hayden had decidedly joined her, I sat alone in the study hall that afternoon. Unfortunately, when the bell rang and the rest of the class poured in, Ruka bounded up to me and threw his arms frantically around my neck, following it up with a loud, "IMAI!"

I gasped noisily and thrashed about in his iron grip, panting and wheezing for air. It just wasn't my day today was it? People were already staring at us, I perceived blurredly as I was tugged round, also I caught whispers of, "_are they going out?" _Or, "_Is Nogi o__ff his rocker?"_ Luckily, some heavenly, benevolent force yanked Ruka off me and threw him into the seat next to me, where he sat for moments looking utterly foolish with his gaping mouth. I quickly rearranged my clothes, patted down my hair, and motioned to thank my saviour when I realized whom it was.

Natsume looked down at me, one hand holding Ruka in a firm grip, the other buried deep in his pockets. He opened his mouth to say something, but thinking better of it, clamped it shut again and swiftly turned and sat on my other side, eyes faced forward waiting for Professor Narumi to arrive. I bit my lip, hating his dismissal.

"Nat."

"Yes Ruka," said Natsume uninterestedly.

"Give this to Imai," Ruka reached over me and attempted kissing his best friend on the cheek. Natsume, completely unfazed by Ruka's advances stretched his hand out and shoved him effortlessly in the chair.

"But NATTY!" Ruka yelled.

I laid my head in my arms and prayed that effect of Ruka's hangover would just go a-_freaking_-way…

"Professor Narumi shall not be supervising Study Hall today," Jin-Jin's ruddy face appeared as I lifted my head just slightly. Once perceiving it, I slammed my face on the table, a loud thump sounding through a silent class. I regretted it immediately.

"Why is it that wherever I go Sakura, _you_ are causing mischief?" Jin-Jin said sardonically.

Ruka sniggered densely and stuck his face in my ear, "Imai," he whispered quite loudly, "He called you Mi_ssssssss Saaaakuraaaa_."

I kicked Ruka's shin viciously under the desk, still looking emotionlessly at professor Jin-Jin.

"YOWOW!" Nogi yowled shrilly.

"Mr. Nogi, pray what is your problem?" said Jin-Jin.

"He's smashed, sir," Natsume interjected hastily, fearing the condemnation of his best friend, "Last night soccer celebrations and all. Surely you would understand."

Jinno flashed Hyuuga a ruddy smile and nodded his head, "Boys will be boys."

"Boys will be arseholes," I just couldn't resist, and it was my downfall.

"I will be inspecting your work before you leave and you can owe it to Miss Sakura for her foul language."

"Mother-" I said, lifting my head up.

"Would you like to go for another detention?" Natsume whispered softly in my ear. I quietened immediately. The gentle ambiance, the warning tones conveyed in his words that was directed at me for the first time that day made my stomach flip, my chest clench tightly, effectively making my face heat up.

I must have had a fever, I think. Something was definitely wrong with me when Natsume that close, his breath on my ear didn't disgust me but instead made my heart race.

**A/N: Someone suggested that I change the ratings for this story to M, mostly because of the language, I guess – do you all agree? **

**I don't think the language is all that bad, but then again – I'm from Europe! We don't have censorship :-D**

**Post a review – remember your comments are what keep me writing (NOT when you add the story as your favourite and don't review, rather I hate that!) :-D:-D**


	12. Happy Holiday

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**People, I can honestly say I feel loved. You guys are awesome and your reviews made me extremely happy.

(Except for the one about how I should update faster or people will stop reading.)

**Rating/**StillT (Some thought I should change to M to be on the save side – I see your point -, others – and I might agree more with this – argues that there are plenty of stories rated T with the same amount of curse words in it as in Geeky Attraction. So it stays like this for now... and if some imbecile eventually decides to delete the story, I'll just keep uploading it!)

**Genre/**Mainly drama with hints of comedy and teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might possibly be love.

**Words/**4893

**12: HAPPY HOLIDAY**

-x-

**Natsume**

"Is it just me?" Ruka asked me as we walked towards the benches, "Or was she acting stranger than usual?"

I shrugged and pulled off my jumper, chucking it to the ground. He was talking about Sakura's behaviour. No more than five minutes ago she had passed the field where we were playing soccer, looked at me in a sort of frenzied way before hurrying along.

"I didn't do anything bad did I?"

Ruka sobered up a good two days later, the second he got on the field and had a tank full of fresh air. I had then pleasantly informed him of every mortifying act he'd committed during his insanity, a playful smirk residing over my face as Ruka's turned to pure horror.

The bespectacled best friend of mine sat on the benches contemplatively, whilst I myself wondered why Sakura was acting so meek this particular day. It had been just two days since I'd gotten her to shut up in the study hall and admittedly, I was still slightly amazed she had even listened.

"It might be her time of month," Koko who was eavesdropping broke in.

Mochu nodded his head grimacing, "That's true. Girls do have _that_ stuff."

I turned and leaned against the bench, abandoning changing my shirt as I left the buttons open, "I think you should stop talking now," I said lowly as said person trudged towards us.

Sakura glanced briefly at me, eyes lingering shortly on my bare chest, and then snapped her hazel brown eyes forwards, cheeks bright pink. I awkwardly turned pale, the feeling where my stomach used to be disappearing while I watched her turn around and walk back the same way she came.

I caught myself staring at her back and nearly tripped in my hurry to 'casually' look away. "Not one word Ruka," I hissed as I began buttoning up my shirt. Again.

"Oh come on," Ruka said, smirking knowingly, "Just two."

"Fine two." I smirked despite myself.

"You're blushing!" I turned and smacked my friend in the draw, "What? I only said _two_ words!"

"Sorry, didn't know contractions counted," I drawled. "And I'm _not._" Blushing, that it.

Sakura came back again, a silence falling over the others as she walked up to me.

"When're you free," she said coolly, all traces of her blush gone which made me a little disappointed.

"Well, Sakura," I raised a brow at her nonchalantly, "That really would depend on-"

"Meet me in front of the entrance in ten," she said bluntly before walking away once more.

"What was that about?" Koko asked curiously.

"Dunno."

"Does Natty have a date?" Ruka said in a babyish accent.

"I heard Imai got caught snogging Hayden under the bleachers again."

"That's low Natsume. Even for you."

"I do my best," I said dryly, finally buttoning my shirt down and then putting on a clean one. Koko was busy grabbing Mochu around his neck trying to make him look at some picture on his phone. As I glanced at Mochu trying to throw him off – registering but not really watching – I felt something akin to butterflies in my stomach. Though, instead of fluttering around they seemed to be throwing themselves at my inner walls. It wasn't particularly painful but still kind of unpleasant and I wondered what the heck it was all about. It must have had to do with Sakura I guessed, for no other reason than the fact that I'd been fine mere seconds before she had approached me and now I had all these things buzzing inside. What could she possibly want to say to me anyway? I have to admit it made me a bit curious. I hadn't talked to her much since that night when she'd slapped me. I guess I should have been pissed at her – _surely_ any attempt at physical abuse on my person is reason enough to wanna retaliate – but instead I found myself feeling kind of embarrassed about the whole thing.

Ruka sighed dejectedly beside me. "You reckon she'll ever speak to me again?"

"Why'd you want her to do that," I mumbled in return feeling slightly possessive – whether it was over Ruka or Sakura wasn't entirely clear.

He gave me an incredulous look. "Dude, were you _not present_ four days ago when I told you that I like her? Because I _distinctly_ remember your earth-shattering advice: _Just don't fuck it up_. Does that ring _any_ bells?"

I looked at him distractedly. "Are you talking about Imai?"

"Yeah, who were _you_ thinking of?"

"No one," I replied angrily and grabbed my sweaty shirt from the bench.

"Oh, I know! It's Luna, right?" Mochu had decidedly joined the conversation.

I stared at him blankly.

"... because she just _broke up_ with you?"

Right. She had. Luna had been looking annoyingly tearful these past few days and I'd been waiting for her to stop sending me secret, hurt messages through her eyes and get the fuck around to telling me. Just yesterday she'd finally worked up the nerve to corner me after lunch, screaming: _"you treat me like shit!"_ and _"you're the worst boyfriend ever!" _while I contributed with: _"You _look_ like shit"_ and _"I wasn't even aware that we were dating."_

It all ended with me letting her slap me (mostly because she hits like a _real_ girl, and that a slap felt like closure... from girls like Luna I welcomed closure.)

After that I'd been forced to tell mother because the last time she had met Luna – by chance, I assure you – she had invited her home for dinner without asking me first. I wasn't sorry to tell her that Luna wouldn't be coming.

"I really _don't_ care about that," I said and tried to fit in the t-shirt in my already overloaded bag.

"Then who the hell did you-... oh. _Oh_!" I really didn't like the cat-caught-mouse look on Ruka's face so I grabbed the bag, in a hurry to leave and nodded at them. "See you guys later."

Just when I had walked exactly the distance from the benches that made it necessary to yell in order to hear each other, Koko waved at me and shouted in a loud voice: "NATSUME. NATTY! Say hello to _Mikan_ for me, will ya!" I gritted my teeth and looked around to see several people shooting me curious glances. Mochu cracked up and even Ruka looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. I kept walking not turning around again as I raised my right arm and showed them my middle finger. Koko wolf-howled in return.

**Mikan**

It's funny how when you try to come off as cool and collected you seem anything _but _cool and collected. As I waited for Natsume to show I tried to look relaxed by leaning against the wall with crossed arms. Unfortunately, I felt so tense that I squeezed my own waist too tightly and I'm positive my expression was downright painful to look at.

Trying to ease out of my failed posture I moved my stiff arms and motioned to put my hands in my pockets (because that's always a nice place to put them when you're feeling fidgety) but realized with horror that the current clothes I was wearing – a blue cardigan and a skirt – didn't actually _have_ pockets!

"Aren't you looking intelligent," a dry voice said making me nearly jump with fright. Natsume merely raised a brow at me, his hands in his jeans pockets looking cool and collected and everything I'd been trying – but failing – to be. For a second I even felt jealous but then I remembered that he never smiles and that his current expression – the cool and collected one – is in fact one of the only expressions he's got. So it would make sense that he pulls it off so well.

"So?" he was saying looking slightly expectant and it made me feel a bit funny inside.

"Oh!" I finally remembered: "Professor Narumi asked to see us before the holidays." Now he just looked bored and his eyes a bit unfocused. "_But_," I continued, trying to ignore his change in demeanour, "when he said: 'before the holidays, I think he meant today. Actually, I was thinking we could head over to his office now!" I was faintly aware that as I went on I raised my voice, unconsciously trying to get him to pay attention to me once more and admittedly, by the end of my chatter it had gotten too loud for conversation. It now fitted the voice you use when you're watching a football game and someone just scored a goal. "I think it must be another assignment for the sessio-"

That. Right there, _that_ was the exact moment it happened. In that moment I'd been in the middle of saying the word: sessions and I had just gotten around to the 'n', when Natsume thought it was time I shut up. One second I was talking loudly, the next his hand covered my mouth and he was close, much, much too close – so close in fact, that I could smell him.

He didn't smell like the rich kid I knew he was, he didn't smell too strongly of expensive aftershave (I confess I had been secretly thinking he did) – I couldn't tell you what he smelled like exactly, it wasn't anything concrete such as vanilla or mint or fruit, that I knew some people smelled like.

Instead it was just – nice. He smelled _nice_. And his face was very, very close and as I gasped (this proved at bit hard with my mouth covered) I smelled his nice smell and at the same time I looked at his eyes and his nose and his cheek. Then my eyes were drawn to his mouth. His lips were slightly thin and had a pale, pinkish colour, sort of like salmon but not really (it was darker) and I noticed how the upper lip was curved nicely and all in all it made for a very nice mouth – an _exemplary_ mouth, almost.

As I looked at his face and everything in it, it occurred to me that it was – all in all – a very, very nice face. I had always known he was beautiful but in the same way that a diamond is beautiful. Now I suddenly saw that he looked _nice_. Like: _I-wanna-touch-it_ nice.

Just as I was thinking that, the second that ridiculous word entered my brain, my heart sped up – much faster than the time in the study hall – and it kept beating and beating until I thought I might die but at the same time I was thinking that we would stand there forever with his hand on my mouth and my heart going crazy. Then Natsume withdrew his arm, I think it must have actually only lasted a few seconds over all, and took a step away.

"You just _never_ shut up, do you?" he glared at me and I blinked. For a second I completely forgot what he's like.

"There was no need for you to... _manhandle_ me like that!" I snapped in return, getting my act together before he could notice. "Besides I don't talk _all_ the time – it's just that you always make me mad!"

"Yeah, yeah, try and use your brain for a sec, all right! Or have you forgotten all about your little promise to keep quiet about the _you-know-what?_"

"Well, have you forgotten all about _your_ promise to not talk to me in public?"

"Don't give me that bull, _you_'re the one who asked me to come here!"

"I _know_ that! Like I said I thought we should go to professor Narumi's-."

"Fine!"

"_Fine_!"

There's a tense silence.

"So we'll go now?" I asked him.

"Whatever," he replied but started walking in the direction of professor Narumi's office and I picked up pace so I wouldn't get left behind. He took very long strides. Somehow it didn't piss me off because he looked irritated and a little flustered but not at all bored. I failed to hide a small smile.

"_What_?" he snapped, having slowed down without me noticing and was now walking beside me. I recovered quickly and shook my head. "Nothing."

He furrowed his brows looking suspiciously at me but before he could retaliate we had reached professor Narumi's office. I knocked, in a hurry to escape from Natsume's penetrating glare.

"Oh, it's my two _favourite_ students!" said professor Narumi with feeling as he opened the door. "Come in, come in." He motioned for us to follow him and closed the door behind us. "Sit yourselves down!"

I looked around for something to sit on and too late discovered the small sofa. Natsume had already sat down and looked at me with a raised brow when I hesitated.

"Sit down, Mikan," professor Narumi exclaimed brightly nodding at the small couch, at the empty space beside Natsume. I groaned softly and sat down carefully avoiding coming in contact with Natsume's arms or legs. He smirked at me, spreading his legs and placing his arm around the back of the sofa. Now our legs were touching and I could feel his arm touching my neck. Stiffening, I tried to edge farther away from him but he just edged closer with a nonchalance too perfected to be real.

Feeling my face heat up I cleared my throat, trying to ignore Natsume's snicker. "So, professor," I began, "what did you want to talk to us about?"

Professor Narumi had been watching the exchange between Natsume and me with great interest and now he blinked his eyes, saying: "Yes, I've decided you should have a new assignment over the holidays. But before I tell you, can you do something simple for me?" He looked at each of us expectantly and I nodded. "Can you give each other a compliment?"

We both froze. I know because we were sitting so close. Then Natsume removed his arm so that it was no longer touching my neck. "Sir, how do you... mean?" I asked lamely, feeling like I should do something to fill the sudden heavy silence that lay between us.

Professor Narumi sighed deeply. "It's common courtesy. We're doing this to ease the tension between you and I think being able to compliment each other – to be able to detect a positive point in the other person – is already a big step on the way to tolerance."

I swallowed nervously and glanced at Natsume from the corner of my eye. His brows were furrowed, making him look annoyed and maybe a tad uncomfortable.

_You make my heart race._

Well. That wasn't even a compliment, was it? Anyway, I would never, ever, _ever_ say that out loud.

"Oh, come _on_, you guys! This is childish!" Professor Narumi complained.

I swallowed nervously and opened my mouth. Nothing came out. For God's sake, Mikan! Just _say_ something! Professor Narumi was right, it _was _childish.

In that moment, Natsume turned around to look at me with a passive face. "You want me to compliment her?" he asked professor Narumi eyes darting towards him for a second. "All right," he said easily. "Well. You've got fairly pretty eyes." I held my breath as he inspected my face. "_And,_" he continued, meeting my gaze. "Your hair is nice." Small pause, "_If_ you'd only pull out those _ridiculous_ pigtails, they make you look like a fucking five year old."

I drew in a sharp breath, "At least _I_ don't touch my hair _all the time_ because I _think_ it looks sexy!"

"You're right, it doesn't."

"I wasn't talking about _my _hair, I was talking about-!"

"And I don't touch my hair."

"_YES. YOU. DO_!"

"Children, settle down," professor Narumi interrupted with an amused look on his face. I glared at him, feeling betrayed that he found my misery funny. He merely smiled in return. "Well, this was only warm up. The assignment this time is this: go home to your families and while you're there I want you to think of a _good_ thing about each other. We're not talking a simple compliment here – I want to you to really think about a good point – Mikan, you'll think about Natsume's good points and Natsume, you'll think about Mikan's. We'll meet after the holidays and you can tell each other what you think. All right?" He looked very satisfied with himself as he got up and opened the door for us.

I stood in a daze, still not believing what professor Narumi had just told me to spend my holiday thinking of. As I passed him in the door he cried out, "Happy holiday!" I almost sneered at him in return.

**Natsume**

"Natty! Natsume! Come in!" mother greeted me.

I had never met the people over the road of my family's estate, but it soon became obvious that I was in a minority of one: the house was packed.

"What's the occasion?"

"Wine tasting."

"Not dad's home-made?"

"No. Proper wine. This afternoon it's Australian. We all chip in and a man comes and explains it all."

"Didn't know you were interested in wine, mum."

"Oh, yes. And your dad loves it."

Of course he does. He must be terrible to work with a morning after a wine tasting session: not because of the reek of stale booze, or the bloodshot eyes, or the crabby behaviour, but because of all the facts he had swallowed. He'd spend half the day telling people things they didn't want to know but had to because he was rich and important. He's over the other side of the room, talking to a man in a suit – the visiting expert presumably – who had a desperate look in his eye. Dad saw me, and nods in recognition, but he wouldn't break off the conversation.

The room was full of people I didn't recognize. I had missed the part where the guy talked and handed out samples; I'd arrived during the part where wine tasting becomes wine drinking and, though every now and again I spotted someone swilling the wine around in their mouth and talking bollocks, mostly they're just pouring the stuff down their necks as fast as they could. I hadn't been expecting this. I came for an afternoon of silent misery, not wild partying; the one thing I wanted from the afternoon was incontrovertible proof that my life may be grim and shitty, but not as grim and shitty as life in my hometown. Wrong again. Nothing works, as Catweazle used to say. Life in my hometown was grim, yes; but grim and full. What right do parents have to go to parties on Friday afternoons for no reason at all?

"_The Tutors_ is on the telly this afternoon, mother."

"I know. We're taping it."

"When did you get the video to work?"

"Months ago."

"You never told me."

"You never asked."

"Is that what I'm supposed to do every week? Ask you whether you've fixed any old consumer durables?"

A huge lady wearing what appeared to be a yellow kaftan glided towards us.

"You must be Natsume."

"Nat, yeah. Hi."

"I'm Yvonne. Your host. Hostess." She laughed insanely, for no discernible reason. "Such a handsome young man! You study business to succeed the family company, am I right?"

I looked at my mum and she looked away. "Not really, no. I study physics." Well, that's my favourite subject anyway.

"Oh, well. Same thing, more or less." She laughed again, and though it would be consoling to think that she was drunk, I fear that this was not the case.

"I guess so. And the woman developing your photos works in the film industry."

"Would you like my keys, Natty? You can go home and have the maid put the kettle on."

"Sure. Heaven forbid that I should be allowed to stay here and have fun."

Yvonne muttered something and glided off. My mother was too pleased to see me to give me a hard time, but even so I felt a tiny bit ashamed of myself.

"Perhaps it's time I had a cup of tea anyway." She went over to thank Yvonne, who looked at me, cocked her head on one side and made a sad face; Mother was obviously telling her about my breakup experience with Luna as an explanation for my rudeness. I didn't care.

We went home and watched the rest of _The Tutors_.

**Mikan**

Three hours and forty minutes later, after I had arrived home, hugged both Mom, Grandpa and Youichi (twice, because he kept complaining), informed everyone about everything that had happened at school over dinner, and the dishes were done and everyone was in pyjamas, we sat down in the living room to watch _Barnaby_on the telly. Each episode had a new mysterious murder not quite disrupting the comfy, English atmosphere in the series, and usually I enjoyed the stories, but tonight I was distracted, fidgeting in my seat. Mom sat on the sofa with Grandpa, while me and Youichi sat in the big armchair. As always, we were a bit squished, but we were comfortable in close proximity.

I was uncomfortable, thinking of what I could possibly say about Natsume Hyuuga that wouldn't betray my current, confusing emotions (impulses, I liked to call them) but so that I would still be telling the truth. I had no trouble stating all the negative things about his personality but when faced with the task of mentioning a _good _thing – my voice got stuck in my throat. Before long, I was fighting just to keep my eyes open and Grandpa noticed with a loud exclamation of: "Mikan, off to bed with you!"

I yawned. I stretched out in my bed, waiting for sleep to take me.

When it finally did, I dreamed of verdant, lush forests in which the water ran down every trail, gently pulling me to and from. And I dreamed of a huge waterfall. The water leapt and twirled, an animus unleashed. I tried to beat the current, tried to swim away, but the water held me still, and as I looked on, it became solid, shaping into a figure with arms and legs and a chin and nose. I kicked and smacked, but the shape held me in an iron grasp. The shape of Natsume Hyuuga stared into my eyes. _"Come on, I can be nice,"_ he whispered in a voice I had only ever heard him use with Luna Koizumi. It was deep and suggestive. In my dream I shivered.

I woke up to a loud pang, followed by pain. The back of my head hurt. I had smacked it on the headboard. I rubbed the spot and muttered curses to soothe myself. _Go back to sleep, Mikan._

The following morning Mom and Youichi barged through my bedroom door an hour before the alarm clock was due. Mum immediately started plugging through the shopping bags that I had yet to unpack while Youichi shoved coffee in front of my blurry eyes. "Is this from Grandpa?" I raised a puffy eyebrow.

"Your grandpa drinks _instant_." He wrinkled his perfectly straight nose. "This is my blend." When I didn't immediately take hold of it, Youichi popped off the lid and swirled the cup under my nose.

When the rich aroma hit my nostrils, I moaned and caught the cup in my hands, drinking in the hot liquid. I had barely pulled in a second sip when Mom snatched my coffee and ripped off my warm covers.

"Shower tiiiiiiime," she sang, dragging me down the hallway. She flung the door closed, and as she'd done ever since I was a little girl, Mom was ripping off my clothes.

"I want my coffee back, fairy godmother," I grumbled miserably through the sweatshirt being yanked over my head.

"If you can get in and out in less than eight minutes—you can have the coffee back." She dangled the cup in front of me. I made a swipe, but she danced back at the last second and scampered into the hallway.

"A true fairy wouldn't have denied me the elixir of life!" I called as I flung off the last of my garments to step into the shower.

I heard a snort of laughter from the hallway and sighed contently. It was good to be home.

**Natsume**

Later that night I was getting more and more frustrated with my parents, which was sort of a record as I'd only been grated with their presence approximately two hours. Mother was more whiny than usual. As she fussed over me she grew more teary eyed as my temper grew shorter with every: _"Oh, why don't you ever _call_ us!_" and "_Your father and I are just worried about you!_" she spouted from her mouth. Mother was strange that way, seemingly concerned with my well being but still having absolutely no regard for my feelings whatsoever.

Still, she wasn't nearly as bad as father. He sat stoically in his favourite leather chair and read the papers, not giving any indication that he was aware of our presence in the room. Sometimes he lifted an eyebrow but it seemed to be triggered by something he read.

It's not like I care much, anyhow. Father and I stopped talking altogether four years ago. We'd always had a strained relationship with me not wanting to become the next Mr. Hyuuga Big-Boss and father silently deciding that I was going to become one, whether I wanted to or not. But there had been moments where we had hit it off fine, moments of understanding even.

That was all in the past now. Four years ago, father stopped speaking to anybody about anything even remotely personal (I'd seen him leave a conversation about what ties to wear. _Ties_, I'm serious), mother, having had neurotic tendencies all her life merely took it up a notch and now spent most of her time looking like she'd recently been crying.

Then there was me. I didn't do anything. Mostly because I couldn't. I was a kid and I couldn't do shit but suddenly I _had_ to – the real world presented itself to me in all it's dirty glory and I had been forced to acept the ugly truth, that life is no fairy tale, that there won't be coming no prince on a white horse to kiss the princess back to life. With that realization, I grew up.

To say I was tired when I finally escaped to my old room that night would be an understatement. Sitting down at my desk heavily, I rummaged around the drawer, looking for something to pass the time with. Then there's this old photo of me and Ruka and Andou taken all those years ago and it sucked because it made me think of all kinds of shit.

There's also a paper with a phone number on it, and it's Andou's, I remembered. He was my first friend apart from Ruka, I guess, back at the time where there were no mobile phones and no facebook, so you had to give people your home number on a lousy scrap of paper. I wondered if it was still his number, if the number he'd written down for me all those years ago was still the number to call and then I'd get through to his childhood home.

I leaned back and sighed deeply. I wanted to explain to him. All those years ago, when it happened, I hadn't cared, I had been too angry, too far gone to talk to Andou or anybody else for that matter. Instead, when he came to me – worried and everything – I had brushed him off. And even though it had been so long now and Ruka forgave me ages ago, the look on Andou's face when our paths crossed at the academy still made me feel like a fucking bastard.

Thinking of Andou made me think of Sakura even though I had been avoiding thinking of her ever since I got home. To come up with a good point about her was a completely ridiculous task and I was quite sure Naru was breaking a couple of school rules by giving us that assignment, personal privacy – something like that.

Feeling a headache approaching I closed my eyes and messaged my temples until I felt slightly better. I opened my eyes. Then I began thinking of Mikan Sakura.

**A/N: Now, I'm getting interested in what you guys make of Natsume's past so far. Has anyone guessed what happened yet? I'm pleased if I've managed to conceal it from you, but I'm equally pleased if someone has actually managed to figure it out. Take a guess, if you want to :-)**


	13. Revelation

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Yes, yes. I know it took a while to update. And I am sorry of some of you have done nothing but sit and stare at your computer in terrible _distress_ waiting for this chapter (yeah, one guy really did write something like: I'm sitting here waiting for it O_O) – and I apologize. Summer holidays have only just ended and I've been to France and then to my holiday house and I've had a marvellous time :-)

But here's the next chapter for you! Parts of it nearly wrote itself, other parts were lengthy and boring to write – hence the time it took. Bear with me.

**Rating/**T+

**Genre/**Mainly drama with hints of comedy and teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might possibly be love.

**Words/**5623

**13: REVELATION**

-x-

-.

-.

**Mikan**

I turned to check the darkening clouds and pedalled past the woods as the sky set down. I needed to hurry. Rain was coming. I rode faster, even though I liked the rain and felt grateful for the clean feeling it brought with it. Today I wouldn't get wet but to compensate, I opened my mouth to the mist, trapping some of the raindrops that were just forming.

Out of the woods, at the centre of the village I stopped and strode towards the mailbox, bicycle lay collapsed at my ankles, rear wheels lightly spinning. Sniffing from the cold and wetness, I put the letter in the mailbox and stood for a while blinking raindrops out of my eyelids.

_Dear Hotaru,_

_I know it has been only two days since we said goodbye but I felt like writing you anyway. As you know, I am home this holiday, because we don't really have any money to travel for (Also Grandpa hates flying). Yesterday I went out with Youichi and played handball with him and his friends. He's gotten really big, Hotaru, much bigger than when you last saw him and I am a bit confused as to how I should act around him now. He seems mature – sometimes even more so than me, which is ridiculous because he has only just turned thirteen. As he grows I notice that he looks nothing like me and I feel both sad and relieved about it. As I have told you a million times before, the happiest day of my life is still the day Mom came home with him and told me that he was my new brother. I remember thinking he was the cutest little boy I had ever seen. (And thankfully he doesn't call me hag every day and Sunday any longer)_

_Anyway, I'm ranting, you know this already. What I really want to ask is not about Youichi. But it's not like it's about anyone else – it's sort of a hypothetical question. Right, so here goes: If there was someone whom you really hated disliked and you were told to mention one of this person's good points. What would you do? HOW would you go about it? Please write back (or call)_

_Your best friend 4-evvaaarh HEART_

_Mikan_

-.

The next day:

**SMS:**

2.34 PM:

Hotaru, did you get my letter?!

-.

3.56 PM:

I REALLY need your help.

-.

When the phone rang the day after that I was feeling slightly sullen that there had been no response, and therefore failed to answer with my usual cheery hello. "Yes?" I grumbled instead as I balanced a sandwich and a glass of milch with the arm that wasn't busy holding the phone.

"Mikan." I would know that dry tone everywhere.

"Hotaru," I cheered up instantly, "where've you been?"

"My brother came home," she said and it was the only explanation I needed. Hotaru's older brother goes to college in London and is therefore rarely home. She's never told me directly, but she has a major brother-complex and admires almost everything he does.

"Oh, how is he?"

"Good. He's thinking about becoming a doctor." There was pride in her voice that she carefully tried to conceal but I detected it anyway and smiled but otherwise I kept quiet. Hotaru is aware that I know these private things about her and in return she knows private things about me too. But we have always had a secret agreement not to discuss it. Still, it's a comfort to know that at least there's one person who knows you as well as you do yourself – sometimes even better.

"That sounds great. I bet he'll become an awesome doctor." There was a comfortable silence and I knew Hotaru was pleased with my comment.

"By the way, Mikan, I would appreciate it if you would cease from writing things that are both incorrect and frankly disgusting."

I laughed, "you mean: _4-evaaaarh_?"

"No, I meant the _best friend_ part."

"That's mean, Hotaru! But anyway, what did you think?"

"Of your childlike responses?"

"_No_! Of my problem with Na-_the hypothetical person_!"

"All right, let's pretend you are not talking about Hyuuga."

"I wasn't-"

"The first thing I need to know is what brought this on in the first place?"

Silence. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you. But I promise it's important, otherwise I wouldn't bother you, Hotaru, really."

Submissive sigh. "Fine. First of all, what's he like with his friends?"

"Commanding. I guess, he's like the leader-type? Also, he doesn't say much but people look to him for answers anyway."

"There you go. Leader skills – that's a good point."

"Yeah, but it seems so, I don't know – _obvious_. Like it's something everyone knows."

"Let me get this right. You want to find some sort of _hidden_ good point?" She sounded incredulous.

"That seems weird, huh. I just don't want him to think I'm shallow." _Or disappoint him. _

Hotaru's silent for a bit, thinking. "I can't help you with that. I am not sure why, but you seem to know him better than most of the student population, Mikan. Think about the situations with him where he didn't make you furious – if there is any. Now, I have homework to do. Bye."

She hung up and I gaped at the phone in my hand. The sandwich lay forgotten on the table. Suddenly, frenzied I looked at the calender hanging above the kitchen counter. There were only three days left until I had to go back to school. Only three days left to come up with something to say to Natsume. Something _nice_.

Two days later I had thought up the perfect, cutting insult and was looking forward to dumping it on Natsume's head first change I'd get when I returned to Alice Academy. Then it occurred to me that I had completely forgotten the purpose of thinking about him in the first place and that I had strayed from nicer thoughts such as: '_I guess he has this mysterious quality about him' _or _'maybe it's actually sort of nice that he doesn't come right out and says his feelings... I mean, people who jump to tell you their heart's true desire are annoying, right?'_ to traitorous ones like: _'... but putting up a front all the time is __stupid! What the hell kind of macho man is he trying to be anyway?'_ and the good, old: _'he acts like a complete asshole!'_

When Mom came home from work later that day, I was getting slightly panicky about the whole thing. I could see why professor Narumi had thought the task was important – because every time I tried to think of Natsume in a positive way I felt like there was a huge wall separating me from any positive thoughts. It was as if a part of me was simply refusing to change my view on him, forcing my brain back to thinking in negative lanes.

-.

**Natsume**

My mood was quickly worsening until it had gotten to the point where I would snap at my parents and the maid just for being in the same room as me. In a period of three long days trapped in my childhood home I was fed up with it.

That's why when Ruka called to request that I spend the rest of the holidays at his house I leaped at the offer. Not having the energy to put up with my mother's uncomprehending teary-eyed look at why I did not want to be together as a "family" and my father's silent anger because I had – once again- avoided seeing the board and discussing my future in his company, I waited until the night before I had planned to leave before I casually dropped the bomb.

As expected, they were not thrilled but I shut them up by mentioning some imaginary school project that would decide nearly half my grade. Figures, the only way they'd let me leave was if it meant I would do something productive and make them proud and blah blah_ blah_.

As soon as I drove out of the porch and onto the road the heavy weight on my heart lifted and I could breathe more easily. I always felt like this. Having heard stories of how there's 'no place like home' I have long ago concluded that those stories were nothing but fiction and that – for everyone except maybe one out of ten – home is nothing extraordinary. Besides the home-cooked meals and the presence of your parents, it really only makes you remember shit. And that's the last thing I wanted to.

That afternoon, I lay sprawled across Ruka's 'couch' (He insisted I called it that even if it was in actuality just a worn-out mattress) and lazily flipped a page in a book. It was quite good, the book – it was about a crime investigator trying to solve a murder case while battling his own dark past – but I kept getting distracted, reading the same sentence again and again.

"Ruka," I began, to get his attention.

He glanced my way and removed his headphones, looking at me in question.

"Have you talked to Andou lately?" My voice sounded strange.

Ruka sighed, "No, I haven't. Last I saw him was when he came up to you in the dining hall and, uh..."

"Yeah," I cleared my throat. "I know that. And he hasn't... said anything to you?"

"Nat, I haven't really talked to him since middle school. And what the heck was he gonna say to me anyway that we haven't heard before? He's a good guy and all but I bet he hasn't gotten any smarter since then."

Nodding once, I felt grateful to Ruka but still couldn't shake off the feeling that I had been the one in the wrong. A feeling that was complete crap and something I'd been feeling more often than not recently. If it wasn't towards Andou, it was Mikan Sakura who made me feel bad. Ironically, the two of them were friends.

I snorted, looking back down into my book.

"But, uh, speaking of Andou, what _did_ Sakura want when she came to fetch you at the field that last day before break?" Ruka asked innocently and I instantly tensed.

"Nothing," I grumbled, trying to focus on my book. I really didn't want to talk about her.

"Riight," Ruka rolled his eyes at me. "You've been kind of disappearing on us lately, always off to someplace..." he was fishing but I refused to budge.

"_And_ I thought it might have something to do with her."

Damn, I hadn't expected Ruka to catch on so soon. "It doesn't." _Not directly anyway_.

"OK. Because if something was going on between the two of you, you'd tell me, right?" He sent me a searching look that made me think that what he thought about had nothing to do with the sessions. I breathed out in relief but furred my eyebrows moment later.

"What do you mean: 'something'?" I inquired.

"I mean, if you're shagging."

I blinked. "What the hell are you on about? Me and Sakura – _shagging_? Did you hit your head or something like that?" My mouth droned on but in my mind disturbing images were invading and I couldn't seem to shake them off. _Sakura on her back, sprawled across my bed, naked. Skin glowing and arms reaching out, 'Please,' she begs me breathlessly, arching her back to meet me._

"Oh, God," I mumbled, violently shaking my head. I must be more sexually deprived than I realised.

I spent the rest of the holidays telling Ruka that he was absolutely barmy if he thought something was going on between me and Sakura. For some reason, he didn't seem convinced but at least he stopped asking about her. Though, sometimes I caught him shooting me calculating looks that I didn't like but couldn't really do much about.

Minutes before we were supposed to be driving back to school, mother called. I was in the middle of carrying two large bags into the trunk and I was feeling sweaty because it was a surprisingly warm day. For two seconds I seriously contemplated not picking up. But, sighing deeply, I pressed the green button.

"Yeah?"

"Natsume?" she sounded unsure.

"That's me." _Obviously, it's my cellphone._

"I was just calling to see if you had everything for school. If you weren't... missing anything."

I swallowed the sudden lump that had formed in my throat. "No, I've... got what I need."

"Oh, that's good." I listened to her soft breathing, feeling like an asshole.

"So I'll see you," I motioned to end the call.

"Natsume-." I heard her but hang up anyway.

A while later, Ruka emerged from the house with two sandwiches. "Want one?" he asked and I shook my head to clear it, realising I was still standing with the phone in my hand, finger on the red button. "Yeah." I accepted the sandwich.

We drove back to the academy in my car – Ruka had never been very keen on driving but after he accidentally hit a deer last year he'd stopped overall. He had been completely heartbroken, the ponce. Now, every time he was in a car he kept glancing around nervously as if an animal would magically appear out of nowhere – even in the middle of the city.

Ruka has always been a big softie. Not just with animals but with everything. Once, when we were young there was this fat, dumb kid who lived in the neighbourhood. None of the other children wanted to play with him because he couldn't run very fast, when he tried he appeared to be waddling and was so easily caught in tag that it took out the fun of the game. Whenever he asked to join in all the kids would make fun of him until he left. I remember, I said so much mean shit to him that only a child can get away with. But Ruka, he always kept quiet. I knew, even back then, that he didn't like the way I treated him, that if I hadn't been there he'd have agreed to let the fatty join.

We ended up getting into a big row because of it. Being kids, we weren't even sure what the fight was about – it wasn't just whether or not the fat kid should be allowed to play with us - rather it was something essential about our personalities. Deep inside I think I knew _that_ particular fight represented the biggest difference between us. I've always believed that people had to earn the right to call themselves my friends. They needed to impress me, be exceptional. My good opinion wasn't something I just gave out at random.

Ruka was different. He believed all people were nice and good until they proved that wrong. And even when someone acted like an asshole, he was still reluctant to change his view on that person.

This essential difference, the thing that separated us but eventually the thing that brought us together, was that Ruka thought the best of everyone while I thought the worst.

"Hey, Nat! Ruka! OVER HERE!" Koko was gesticulating wildly as we entered the dining hall. I snorted in annoyance. Obviously, he was making a scene just to spite me. It's well known that I hated public attention and Koko loved providing it.

Ruka just laughed and joined Koko and Mochu at our table, greeting them.

"Nat! I've missed your gloomy face!" Koko chirped happily as I pulled out my chair and sat down. "I missed it so much I wrote a song about it. Wanna hear?"

"Not particularly, no."

"So the chorus goes like this: I'm a sad, sad, SAD OLD-."

"Fuck, you're not gonna do this _again_, are you?" Mochu complained with an eye roll, obviously having already heard it.

"-MISERABLE GUY. I'M SEXUALLY DEPRIVED-"

"Koko, shut _up_!"

"-AND I JUST WANNA DIE-_OUCH_!" he exclaimed loudly as I whacked him across the back of his head. "What the hell?"

Ruka looked like he had swallowed something funny and I knew he was holding back laughter. Mochu merely breathed out in relief that the singing had ended.

"You guys are preventing my creativity from blooming!" Koko said dramatically with wide eyes. Ruka finally bottled over, laughing hard as Mochu simply watched Koko with an incredulous look.

I tuned them out, taking in our surroundings and without wanting to my eyes searched for one particular bookworm with ponytails. I would see Mikan Sakura at Naru's office later when we had to sit down and talk about our good points. Honestly, all the sessions had been absolutely ridiculous but this assignment really took the price. That didn't mean I hadn't completed it, though, I'm not an idiot. It's easy, mentioning something _good_ about Sakura. For fuck's sake, overall she's truly a _good person_, isn't she? Oh, gag me.

Finally, I caught sight of her a couple of tables away.

She seemed even more jumpy and energetic than usual with flushed cheeks and shining eyes, talking animatedly to her friends using big arm movements. This wasn't what had me smirking, though. When she finally noticed me looking I nodded discretely towards her hairdo and her hand flew up to touch it self-consciously. Her hair was in a high ponytail so I assumed, not without a certain amount of smugness, that she'd taken my suggestion about dropping the pigtails to heart.

_'Looking good'_, I mimed to her and she turned even redder, glaring at me. My smirk widened just as her expression changed from annoyance to sudden glee and she pointed towards me. Without noticing I had reached for my hair and I immediately let my hand fall. Then Mikan Sakura laughed so loudly I could hear her, eyes dancing with amusement. Instead of being angry I found myself smirking back at her.

The moment was interrupted by Gayden who said something obviously pointless and she looked away from me to answer him. Annoyance pulsed through my veins and I felt myself glaring – not at Sakura – but at Gayden for taking her attention away from me.

A second later I felt stupid, then angry with myself for feeling stupid and lastly I settled for being angry with Sakura for _making_ me feel stupid.

-.

**Mikan**

I tried to relax, really, I did. It was just very hard when every step I took towards professor Narumi's office made my heart speed up and my hands shake violently.

I hadn't thought of what to say. No, that's a lie – I had thought of nothing but what to say but I wasn't anywhere near reaching a conclusion. With every step I repeated the good points I knew Natsume had – manically, like a mantra: one step, leader skills, two steps, strong, three steps, intelligent...

In front of the door to professor Narumi's office I hesitated, playing absentmindedly with the ponytails I had redone after the encounter with Natsume – just to show him I didn't care what he thought about my hairdo.

Or anything else, for that matter.

A snort coming from right behind me, made me jump in fright and as I spun around Natsume was standing there, looking at me like I was mental. I avoided his gaze and cleared my throat, feeling uneasy.

"Well," I said my voice too chipper, "We best get inside."

Natsume merely raised an eyebrow at me before reaching closely past my chest to open the door. I held my breath when he leaned in to press the handle down but still managed to catch a whiff of his smell. Then the moment passed and Natsume entered the room. Shaking my head, I cursed myself. Maybe I really was turning mental.

"Oh! Hello, hello!" professor Narumi greeted us as he looked up from his desk where he sat writing something with a pink quill. He was wearing a long blue coat with flowers embroilment and lacy sleeves. "Did you have a nice holiday?"

Glancing discretely at Natsume who was ignoring the question I answered, "yes, it was lovely, thank you. And you, sir?"

Our professor waved his hand impatiently, "yes, yes, it was quite marvellous. But enough chatter. We need to hear the result of your assignment." He looked positively giddy from excitement. I, on the other hand, felt only giddy from terror. "Sit down, children," he said and gestured towards two chairs with the long sleeves fluttering about.

Swallowing once, I carefully let myself sink into one of them. Natsume did the same across from me. I tried not to look at him.

"Right," said professor Narumi, "so did you use the holidays to think about the assignment?" I nodded, grateful to the fact that he called it 'the assignment', instead of elaborating on what it really was he'd made us do.

I glanced at Natsume again to try and grasp his reaction but he merely let out a small breath and my eyes were then unwillingly drawn to his lips.

Professor Narumi looked at the both of us. "Good, then we can begin with-," but just as he looked towards me and I forgot how to breathe there was a stern knocking on the door that interrupted professor Narumi's speech.

Professor Serina appeared in the crack she'd opened and asked to speak to him. It's strange that she didn't seem at all surprised to find Natsume and I there and I began to wonder how many of the teachers were actually informed about these sessions.

"Wait here for a bit," professor Narumi said to us and went to follow professor Serina.

As he skipped out the door and conveniently closed it behind him, silence filled the room. I had to swallow nervously, if possible feeling even more perturbed by the situation now that it had been drawn out. It felt like time had stopped, the seconds right before an explosion where everything stands still and every little detail is printed in your mind clear as glass.

I tried not to stare at the boy in front of me but it proved much harder now that professor Narumi had left the room seeing as he had been the only thing distracting me from Natsume. The silence stretched on for almost five minutes.

My head snapped up as he sighed rudely and motioned to stand. "What are you doing?" I asked in surprise.

"What's it look like? I'm leaving."

"You can't do that! Professor Narumi-"

"He left. It's his own fault."

"But what about the assignment?"

He stopped and looked at me searchingly. Then he smirked. "Well, we'll just tell him we've said it." He began walking towards the door.

"Wait a bloody minute! What if he asks me what you said?! I can't lie!" I sounded desperate to my own ears but I couldn't stop. I refused to have been that nervous for nothing so there was no way he was walking away without saying something.

He slowed once more and turned around, facing me. "All right," he said lazily. "If that annoying teacher asks... you can tell him I said that you're naïve, a busybody, self-righteous as hell and a bookish know-it-all."

I opened my mouth to protest with what was no doubt an incredulous look on my face. He smirked at my expression and carried on before I had the chance to think of a biting reply. "You are also ridiculously honest and you don't try to act like someone you're not. For some unfathomable reason, you're proud of who you are." He was looking away from my face now as if embarrassed but I was too busy staring at him – too amazed to really take notice.

Natsume motioned to touch his hair but stopped (perhaps remembering my comment about him thinking it looks sexy) and glanced at me briefly. "You can tell him that's what I said – if he asks." He glanced at his watch, appearing like what just happened was no big deal but I was astonished. To be honest, I was actually happy. Natsume's words had made me happy. Suddenly I knew exactly what his good point was and even wondered why I hadn't noticed sooner.

Natsume had been standing there for a short while, looking at me but when I didn't respond he turned around and strolled for the door. I stood in panic and bottled for him, feverishly, as if life depended on it. "Wait!" I called which was completely unnecessary because I had already grabbed his arm and he had turned to face me once more.

My mouth suddenly felt dry and I tried to swallow. "Don't you want to... hear what you can tell professor Narumi I said?" Again, he was too close for comfort and my heart beat what felt like a thousand times per second. "If he asks, I mean."

Natsume looked pointedly at my hand on his arm but didn't pull away. "It's _obviously_ my strikingly good looks and blinding intelligence," he spat with annoyance. Unconsciously, my grip on his arm grew stronger, he went still and looked at me again.

"That isn't what I like about you," I said softly but it still sounded loud and clear in the otherwise empty room. "I'm not sure if you're aware of it," I began hesitatingly, "but you have this affect on people. You don't have to do much, really. Just one word of dismissal and you've made their day worse. But on the other hand a wave or a nod from you is all it takes and they're _happy_. Few people have that kind of charisma."

Natsume's face was so near as I spoke and for once he looked unguarded, his forehead smooth and his mouth missing its usual scowl. He was merely standing there, watching me and it bewitched me. In that dreamy state it felt natural to reach out and touch his face just above his left brow, lightly ever so carefully so he wouldn't withdraw, the way a wounded animal does. "You do so little," I said softly, "yet you affect so many people. It's strange but it's... admirable."

He blinked slowly and I watched, hypnotized. "What about you?" he asked, his voice pleasantly deep. "Are you affected by me?" My eyes followed as he reached up, slowly, gently and covered my hand that was touching his face. I must have let out a small breath of air, a gasp, because Natsume moved closer, his hand now holding mine in a firm grip.

"You _are._" he wondered aloud. You'd expect him to sound smug or angry or even bored about it, but that wasn't the case. Above every other emotion, he sounded surprised.

I tried to withdraw my hand but he tightened his hold and I blinked at him in astonishment. "Aren't you?" Natsume demanded, intense eyes.

"Let go!" I struggled a bit.

He merely tightened his grasp on my right hand even more and casually grabbed my left just as I'd raised it to push him off. I glared at him. "Well," he pressed on unaffected, "Aren't you?" and I realized he wasn't going to let me go until I had answered him.

"Like I said: people-"

"Not people. _You_."

I pressed my lips together tightly. "_People_," I repeated stubbornly, "are affected by you. 'People' obviously includes me as well."

"Right." Natsume rolled his eyes and let go of my hands. I refused to let him see how affected I really was even though the skin he had touched was tingling almost painfully.

"Jeez," I muttered taking a step away from him. "Anyway, you should really think of how you use it. I mean, your girlfriend Luna Koizumi was crying in the bathroom." I wasn't sure why I mentioned her, perhaps it was just as an example but I strongly suspected myself of having an ulterior motive, although I wasn't even sure what it was.

"_There_'s the self-righteous busybody," Natsume drawled, leaning against the desk. "didn't miss her."

I coloured. "I'm _not_ being self-righteous! I just happen to think-"

"Just a busybody, then." he cut in.

I drew in a deep breath, going for a different approach. "Don't you want other people to be happy?" He raised a brow in question. "I mean, if you had the power to make people either happy or sad – wouldn't you want to make them happy?"

"What are you on about, Sakura?" Natsume growled.

"Would you make them happy?" I repeated insistingly.

"Why would I? Whether people are happy or sad – it's not my problem. They mean shit to me. Just as I mean shit to them." He looked me right in the eye when he said it and that's how I knew that he really believed it.

I was the first to avert my gaze. "What about your friends?" I asked quietly. "They don't mean anything?"

"I guess they do. But it's not like you can't live without them," Natsume replied cynically.

"Family?"

He snorted, "they don't care."

"But _you_ do." I had meant for it to be a question but somehow I just couldn't ask. I knew it was the truth, after all.

Natsume glared at me but didn't deny it.

"Look," I found myself saying, "I know you don't want to hear this and especially not coming from me, but caring doesn't make you weak. Opening your heart and letting people in, _allowing_ yourself to be vulnerable – that's strength, you know. The way _you_'re acting is..." I trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say.

"What?" his laughter was harsh and devoid of any real joy. "Are you calling me weak now, Sakura? _You_?"

Anger flooded my brain and I slammed my hand against the desk beside me. "You _are_ weak! Afraid of letting anyone in, hurting people before they can hurt you, you don't even give them a _chance_! Continue like this and you'll go through life like a ghost, never knowing _anybody_!"

"Oh, that's rich," Natsume snapped, "Trying to enlighten miserable little me _again_? Do you _really_ think I give a fuck about your parochial naïve conception of the world? _'Oh, how wonderful life is and with only a tiny bit of effort we can all be joined together and sing and dance and everything'll be _freaking _peachy!_' With that kind of thinking, you're the one deluding yourself."

My breath was becoming quick and shallow, making my brain fuzzy, "What the hell is your problem! You just can't stand the fact that I'm happy and you're not. That emo-act of yours is getting old – _Get over it_!"

"Your prissy bitch-act has long exceeded the last expiry date, so _you_ learn to shut your trap!"

"Don't talk to me that way!"

"I'll talk any way I fucking feel like, you sodding cow!"

"I don't know what the heck happened to you that made you into this-... this _unfeeling_ monster – obviously, something did because _no one_ is born that way!" I screamed at him, tears threatening to fall at his insult.

"People always seem to think they can butt their nose into things that are _none_ of their _fucking_ business," Natsume sneered, only the fury in his eyes betraying his otherwise calm demeanour.

"You know what, I don't even _care_ what happened. No matter how terrible it was – _Nothing_ could ever justify the way you act, no matter _what_ it wouldn't compel me to sympathise with you! I _hate_ you." I was so angry that my hands shook and I couldn't stop my eyes from watering. In my rage I stomped towards the door as soon as I had finished my rant, wanting to get out and away from that one person who made me lose control so utterly and completely as quickly as possible.

Only just as I had reached the door I was slammed mercilessly against it, Natsume pressing himself into my back, his breath on my hair. My heart quickened its pace, I could feel every detail of his body but his grip on my wrists was too tight for comfort, his chest so hard against my back it hurt.

"I am sick and tired of you," he snarled lowly into my ear. I held my breath, not daring to struggle against his iron hold. "You're so fucking confident you know me but in reality you can't even _begin_ to grasp what I'm like." His voice shook from anger and I tried to repress a shiver, knowing he'd notice anyway.

Silence filled the space between us, our rapid breathing echoing through the room. My head in turmoil, I wasn't sure whether the pounding heart I felt was mine or Natsume's. When he finally spoke, voice as hard as stone, I knew it had been _my_ heart because I then felt it stop.

"Four years ago I watched my sister die. Is that _terrible_ enough for you?"

**A/N: Whoopsy, he said it. It's strange how sometimes characters take control of the situation's development and you end up someplace you hadn't expected. To be honest, Natsume wasn't supposed to reveal his past in this chapter at all – especially not to Mikan, but as their argument progressed he ended up saying it and there wasn't really anything I could do about it. Having been provoked that much, I knew he'd spill, if only to see Mikan's reaction. **

**But all in all I think I'm quite content with his angry revelation – even if it means I'll have to alter some of the later chapters :-)**

**(And I know this chapter was very Mikan-centric but I promise the next one will be more Natsume – because I know you guys just luuuuurrv him 3)**


	14. The Aftermath

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Hey guys! It's been a while, huh.

An anonymous reviewer asked if I was ever going to update my other stories. To be completely honest: I don't think so. But I don't know. I am sorry if people thought they were interesting but to me they seem cliché and boring now. And not particularly well-written either. So I'm sorry, but at the moment I want to focus on Geeky Attraction. When I'm done with it, maybe I'll go back to some of the other stories :-) Be patient, young ones!

**Rating/**T+

**Genre/**Mainly drama with hints of comedy and teenage themes such as hormones, denial, hatred and feelings that might possibly be love.

**Words/**4718

**14: THE AFTERMATH**

-x-

-.

-..

"_Four years ago, I watched my sister die. Is that _terrible_ enough for you?!"_

-.

**Natsume**

I opened one of the windows in my room and lit a cigarette. It was night time and the air was so cold my breath looked like white fog in the dark. Filling my lungs with smoke, I felt a sort of contentment. The emotion was short-lived however, my thoughts were chaotic and no amount of cigarettes would be enough to bring them in order again.

Physically, I was great. Luna had approached me yesterday, spouting bullshit about how she '_forgave_' me for not being a _'good boyfriend_' and that she was willing to '_give us a second chance_'. I just stood there, letting her go on and on about our so called relationship, not really listening.

She had come up to me not even an hour after I'd left Naru's office and I had been beside myself. My thoughts far away, I had given her the OK and later I didn't regret it. She had taken me to her room right away and removed her clothes and I was presented with a blissful forty minutes of not having to think about anything other than pleasure.

Since that night I'd fucked Luna as often as I could. This had, regretfully, resulted in her becoming even more clingy than before but it also meant that my needs were satisfied and it served the purpose of tiring myself out so that I would fall asleep right away when I returned to my room afterwards.

This particular night, however, the sex hadn't been enough. More like, it had been the trigger to the problem I now had to deal with.

Luna is hot, don't get me wrong but all the time we were a pair or whatever, I often found myself imagining I was with someone else when we were having sex. Not like a celebrity or anything corny like that, mostly it's just faceless women with long hair in different colours and huge knockers.

However, this night my imaginary woman had a face. Not just any face, a face I'd recognize anywhere. In that exact moment when Luna was arching her back, fingers grabbing sheets, head rolling, mouth opening and groaning in pleasure, I looked at her and saw someone else.

I saw Mikan Sakura.

Suddenly, it's _her_ wringing her steamy body beneath me, it's _her_ letting out those little noises and it's _her_ looking at me like I'm her whole world. I couldn't explain what happened then, what the hell was wrong with me, but for a second when I thought it's _really_ Sakura in the bed with me, I leaned down to kiss her.

My trance was broken with Luna saying my name. She said it with that sultry tone of voice, a tone full of suggestion and it's so unlike Sakura that I snapped out of it, pushing Luna off. She protested, repeatedly asking what was wrong but I ignored her, threw my clothes on and slammed the door behind me.

I don't kiss during sex. It's sort of an unspoken rule and Luna knows it, and the other girl I've been with knew it.

I've seen that film once – _Pretty Woman_ or something, and it was a load of Hollywood-crap but the hooker was right about one thing: If you kiss during sex it gets personal, intimate. That's when you go from merely fucking to _feeling_ something. And it's not like I feel nothing – I am, contrary to Sakura's belief, _not_ an unfeeling monster – but I can say for certain that whatever feelings I might have they are not of infatuation. They are not, to quote some shitty old universal saying, of love, tenderness and care.

I inhaled deeply and then blew out the smoke into the night. Watching as it dissolved and only darkness remained I gritted my teeth. Why I would think of Sakura during sex confused me. What had me slightly panicking, however, was the kissing-thing. It made no sense.

The only explanation I was able to come up with was that because I'd been so furious – so enraged with her, I had ended up telling her about four years ago and that had made me confuse my feelings for her.

Truth be told, she still didn't know anything at all and that made me relax a bit. I had spilled just to wipe that look of loathing off of her face, to show her that she didn't know shit – that no matter how I acted I had a right.

However, the look on Sakura's face afterwards had been hard to place. When I had said those words, I'd had her pressed up against the door and I hadn't been able to see her face. But she'd stiffened. I felt it. Being so close to her, pressing against her from behind, my lips next to her ear, I had stayed like that. Without meaning to I had leaned even closer, my grip around her wrists loosening to a more comfortable hold as I moved my face to the crook of her throat.

I stood like that for a while, leaning heavily against her body to keep myself standing. And she had let me. I had been vulnerable, more so than in a very long time, having just reopened the old wound from four years ago by telling her and I had been hurting. But suddenly there had been a person who wasn't doing anything extraordinary at all but who was standing there with me and I had been emotionally drained and tired so I had let her.

That was the first time Sakura had let me touch her like that, I pondered later. Maybe that in itself had been reason enough to keep doing it.

Without thinking I had then reached for her shoulder and slowly turned her around to face me. Just as our eyes had met, my chest touching hers lightly, the door opened. It hit Sakura's back and she had let out a yelp as she fell forward into my arms.

By then, I'd recovered from whatever it was that had compelled me to touch her in the first place. I let go of her as if I'd been burned. Naru looked at us in confusion but then he laughed and said something like, "You two are getting along!" I couldn't be sure, the blood getting to my head was resulting in a buzzing sound in my ears. I think I mumbled something about having to leave, went for the door but paused right before exiting. That was when I noticed Sakura looking. And that was when I realized I had no clue what that look was supposed to mean.

Thinking about it now made me grimace. I felt as if I had thought of the past more throughout the last few months than I had during the past three years. Not that I hadn't thought of it. It was always there – like something dark and heavy breathing down my neck. But it was different now, not as terrible as before. It still hurt like hell but it had become more palpable, a pain I could tolerate instead of the mind-numbing, burning hurt it had been before.

And for some unexplainably, unwieldy reason this change had to do with Mikan Sakura and her busybody-ing ways. She was like a bloodhound, never giving up and she just seemed to genuinely _care_ about what I said and meant and it was so different from what I was used to that I was having trouble dealing with it.

Well, I did deal with it. By blowing up on her. But even if she'd made me feel slightly better about some things, she still made me feel like shit about so much more. Somehow, she always knew what buttons to press, where to aim so that it would really hurt. I'd never known anyone who did that before – Ruka never did, Koko provoked me but it wasn't about anything important and Mochu generally hated being personal.

The worst thing, I concluded, was that I hadn't wanted to talk about my sister. With _any_one. I had wanted to bury the whole thing deep deep down and never think of it again. Along came Mikan Sakura and suddenly I can't stop thinking about it! I didn't _want_ to have to deal with it. didn't _want_ my past to be touched. But _this_ girl, this stuck-up annoyingly _persistent_ girl, touched it without even knowing it.

..-

**Mikan**

I was looking at him again. It had been like that for a while, I couldn't help it. My eyes seemed to search for him and when they found him they rarely strayed. Luckily, our schedules almost never touched the others or I would have been royally screwed. But even though I knew it was stupid, whenever I was walking through the hallway to or from a class I'd look for him. And in the dining hall I would hardly get anything to eat, which was very unlike me, because I was so busy staring at him.

"Earth to Mikan!" Hayden waved a hand in front of my face and I turned to him with difficulty. I had been in the middle of pondering over what Natsume could possibly be reading so intently at his table.

"What?" I sounded annoyed.

"Nothing, just your best friend talking," Hayden said sourly. "Who were you ogling anyway?" He stretched his neck and searched the directed I'd been gazing towards.

I quickly withdrew my eyes. "No one... and I wasn't _ogling_!"

"Right," he snorted.

"I wasn't!"

"You're right, it was worse. You were totally _eye-fucking_ whoever it was."

Without wanting to I felt my cheeks grow warm at his statement. I hadn't really been doing that. Had I?

It's not that I was trying to avoid Natsume now. After he had mentioned his sister to me I hadn't known what to say exactly.

At first, I had been ashamed of myself for treating him the way I had, with contempt, and I had felt regretful of my choice of words – that nothing he had ever experienced would be a good enough excuse for his actions.

The thing was, I hadn't truly believed that he had a tragic past. It was just too surreal, too far away from my reality that I wasn't able to grasp it or imagine it. I had been content with our relationship – it was simple, easy. He was an asshole and he always would be. I had forced myself to ignore the signs, the brief moments where his facade would crack allowing me to see a different side of him, something darker and more lonely than anything I had seen before. Because it had just been too difficult to handle.

How was I supposed to see him now? What exactly was Natsume expecting of me? Still pondering over that three days after his confession, I hadn't approached him and neither had he come to me. There hadn't been a new assignment from professor Narumi and since we only shared those few classes it had been easy to avoid a direct confrontation.

There had been times, though, where our eyes would meet. In a classroom, in the hallways our across the dining hall. Every time my heart skipped a beat and some ridiculous part of me – the part that had had a crush on Natsume – felt special. Like I knew something about him that no one else knew. As if we were sharing his secret.

Another part of me resented him for using a bad past experience as an excuse for his vile behaviour.

..-

**Natsume**

When my sister died I had wanted it to be that driver's fault. But more than that, I had wanted it to be my fault. Then I kept blaming myself repeating, 'it's my fault', over and over and over again. I had wanted to be miserable. If that driver was still alive I would want to kill him. I didn't even know why, maybe only because it would have been cruel if he'd lived when my sister had died. But he hadn't survived the crash and had died even before my sister. And then there had only been myself to blame.

I often had these dreams. They were rarer now, only appearing once or twice a week but until two years ago I had them every night.

In the dream I see my sister falling through the air. Suddenly I am there with her, falling together with her but being unable to touch her. The sky. It is always maddening red. A red sky. My reaching hand swipe through the air along with my body and my sister keeps looking at me and I know she is afraid and wants me to help her. But I am powerless. In the dream, we connect with the ground and I know I will die without being able to do anything.

Sometimes the dream ended with that. On particularly nasty nights though, the last thing I saw before I woke up was my sister lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood. It grew and grew, unfolding itself like a flower until the colour red covered everything. It became impossible to see where the ground ended and the sky began.

Then I would wake up. The worst part about those five seconds where I sat and tried to control my shallow breathing was when I realised that it wasn't a dream.

My sister was dead. And everywhere I looked, I saw only red.

..-

"Nat, what are you doing?" I instantly recognized it as Ruka's voice and relaxed my body from its stiffened posture. I didn't even bother opening my eyes.

"What is it?" My voice sounded foreign.

Ruka snorted. "Nothing really. It's just that we have class in ten."

I turned away from him and drew the sheets over my shoulders like a cape. I couldn't care less about class. Fifteen minutes ago I had gotten up, put on some clothes and then without meaning to I had gone back to bed.

"Dude," Ruka said hesitatingly. "Are you all right?"

Thinking about how I felt was something I wanted to avoid. Without meaning to I had still ended up thinking of nothing _but_ my sister and my fucking feelings and Mikan sodding Sakura.

I had been having these flashbacks lately as well. For example, I remember the twenty-three minutes it took mother to arrive at the scene of the accident. How I stood there and waited, completely shell shock while random people did CPR and first aid on the bloody body that used to be my sister. Now, I can't believe I just stood there, watching. But I think a part of me knew it – that she was already dead. That the thing lying on the street wasn't my sister any longer and just like when the car had hit her – I was helpless. No matter what I did, it wouldn't make a difference.

Then mother finally came. I recognized her car right away even though there were several others, the street was teeming with cars and people and everything was bathed in the blue light from ambulances' sirens.

When mother saw me she didn't come running to hug me. I had wanted her to – for the first time since I was five years old, but she didn't touch me. It was as if she was asking me, "why are you alive?"

"Hey Ruka," I said still facing the wall. "Do you think I'm going crazy?"

He sighed a bit and sat down beside my bed. "I don't think you're crazy, Nat. But I do think it would be good if you talked to someone."

I snorted, "That's what you tell crazy people."

"You know that's not what I meant." Ruka's mobile began to vibrate and he tore his searching gaze away from me to look at it.

Now free from his penetrating eyes I continued hesitatingly, "Do you still blame me for that time?"

"What time?" he asked distractedly while writing a reply to whoever it was that had sent him a message.

"You know what time. The time you ended up in the hospital because of me." It had been bothering me since Andou had confronted me about it in the dining hall. Somehow, people kept bringing up the past – lastly Mikan Sakura who had even appeared to be afraid of me because of what had happened.

Ruka's head snapped back up. "What the hell, Natsume? I've told you, like, a million times that it wasn't your fault! Why can't you just ignore Andou, huh? He doesn't know shit!"

"Yeah, I'm just..." I paused, lying down on my bed once more. "I don't know. I've been feeling really fucking weird lately."

"Yeah, I've noticed," Ruka said with a small smirk. "You're not such a big asshole anymore." He laughed at the glare I shot his way. "Why the change?" he inquired curiously.

"How in the hell would I know?" I snapped too quickly and didn't meet his eyes. Ruka smirked at me once again in that superior way. Don't know where he gets it from.

"Right. And it's got nothing to do with, say, a girl or anything?"

"'Course not." I said nonchalantly and pretended to look for my schoolbooks so I wouldn't have to look at him.

Ruka just hummed knowingly in return which annoyed the fuck out of me. Grabbing for my bag I went for the door, if anything then just to escape Ruka's questions.

..-

**Mikan**

I wasn't entirely sure of my own intentions when I stopped Natsume's friend Ruka in the middle of the hallway and dragged him – as discreetly as possible – into an empty classroom.

"Um, Sakura?" he sent me a confused look.

"You can call me Mikan," I decided.

"Oh. Mikan, then," he said and moved around a bit, seemingly uncomfortable. "Feel free to use Ruka as wel." His cheeks had turned a little red from general embarrassment and I felt a sudden urge to add a 'pyon' to his name, he was so adorable. So I did.

"Ruka-pyon," I said and received a strange look in return. But he didn't comment for which I felt grateful. I wouldn't have been able to explain why anyhow.

"It's about Natsume," I began and Ruka-pyon furred his brows in concern.

"Whatever he told you, I'm sure he didn't mean it," he quickly assured me which made me smile a bit.

"Well, that's exactly what I want to know. Whether he meant it or not."

Ruka-pyon looked at me expectantly. I drew a deep breath. "He told me about what happened eight years ago. With his sister."

Ruka-pyon's eyes grew twice in size, he was so surprised. "Natsume told you about Aoi?!"

I cleared my throat, avoiding his staring. "Well, 'told' might not be the right way to describe it," I commented drily. "More like 'spilled it in the middle of an argument.'"

He merely shook his head a little, "still," Ruka said, "he never tells anyone."

Those words did something funny to my stomach which I ignored and instead asked Ruka to elaborate on what had happened.

He sighed but began anyway. "I trust you not to pass this on to anyone else, all right?" I nodded with badly repressed eagerness. "They were close, Natsume and Aoi. She was ten years his junior and because their parents aren't exactly wonderful, I think Natsume ended up taking care of Aoi in their place. One day he picks her up from school and on the way home Natsume stops to chat with some of his friends he coincidentally meets. While Nat is preoccupied, Aoi runs across the road to pet a puppy and a car slams into her head on. Right in front of Natsume. I wasn't there myself but I've heard it was a really tremendous experience. Blood everywhere." Ruka looked affected by his own story and my heart had sped up without me noticing. I felt slightly sick to my stomach as pictures of the scene appeared in my mind like an uncontrollable stream.

"Then what?" I asked softly because I had a feeling that this wasn't everything.

"This is going to sound kind of harsh," Ruka breathed, "but I think his parents blamed him for the accident. They had a strained relationship before but now it's cold a ice. The worst thing is that Natsume blames himself as well. He thinks it's his fault she died and he won't listen to anyone telling him he's wrong." Ruka looked suddenly tired and he sat down heavily on a chair.

I breathed in shallowly and hid my eyes in my hands. "God, if I had known the whole story... there are things I wouldn't have said to him."

Ruka met my eyes looking at him between my fingers and gave me a reassuring little smile. I could feel that we were becoming confidants now and it felt comforting.

"He's changed a bit, you know. Lately, he's not as angry at the world as he used to be."

I looked at Ruka in question and he calmly continued, "I think it's because of you."

My mouth fell slightly open. Ruka grinned at me. "I'm gonna go – late for class and all that. Promise not to tell anyone about this. I'll see you around." Then he was gone, leaving me standing in the empty classroom, frozen in puzzlement. I wasn't sure how long I stood there but at one point I snapped out of it, hearing a loud and angry voice coming from the hallway. A voice I recognized. Tsubasa's voice.

..-

**Natsume**

I could feel dark, childish feelings creeping up from my feet until they filled my whole body. "Andou," I said, my voice not betraying any emotion.

"Stop calling me by my first name," he sneered and stepped closer to me, threateningly. "How you can look me in the eye – hell, how you can sleep at night, is a fucking mystery to me!"

I sighed, hiding the stab of pain I felt from his words. "I feel like we've been over this before."

"No, we haven't. Because you wont answer my goddamn questions!"

"You're the one not asking. You already decided a long time ago that I am the one in the wrong," I replied with assumed calmness. In reality, anger burned in my stomach.

"You're seriously saying it's not your fault Ruka ended up in the hospital? That _you_ – and you _alone_ – were not the cause of his injuries?" he had taken to yelling by now.

"_No_," I gritted my teeth. "That's not what I'm saying."

Andou shook his head. "How we were ever friends is beyond me. I don't know how you've managed to make Ruka forgive you. But I wont _ever_."

I was looking at him now, watching his mouth move as if in slow motion. Knowing something I wouldn't like was coming but being unable to prevent it.

"Someone like you... you don't feel anything. You don't care about other people, do you? You _monster!_"

I didn't have time to feel anything other than a short sense of loss, suddenly Sakura was there and she took a few quick steps and ended up standing in front of me, almost shielding me from Andou. "Tsubasa, that's enough." I couldn't see her face but I had an idea of how she looked – stern, firm and probably self-righteous as hell. At that moment a short glimpse – only lasting two seconds at most but still _there – _an image of Mikan Sakura at the brink of an orgasm appeared in my mind. Like what I had hallucinated when I was with Luna, but now it was back to haunt me, more vivid than ever.

I blinked to clear my head and saw Andou's face changing from anger to completely flabbergasted. I couldn't really blame him. I was sure my own face mirrored his. "What? You're protecting him?!" he yelled at Mikan Sakura. Then he went back to being angry.

"No!" Sakura sounded embarrassed but it appeared she pulled herself together and stood straighter when she continued, "but I don't want you to say something like that to anyone _ever_. Not even Natsume."

"Mikan, I'm sorry, but it really _isn't_ any of your business," Andou sneered and I couldn't recall him ever having used that tone with her before.

"It _is_ my business! We're friends, aren't we? And I am telling you that you're going about this the _wrong_ way!" I think she meant to come off as calm and collected but instead she sounded just as enraged as Andou had.

He shook his head at her. "Don't think you have to be everyone's goddamn mother all the time, Mikan! It's a fucking pain." Then he twirled around and stalked off and Sakura's shoulders collapsed before me.

I successfully found my voice. "Hey."

She turned to face me while looking completely devastated. Guess she didn't take too lightly to Andou's last comment.

"Why'd you do that?" I wasn't even sure I wanted to know. But I was still curious as hell.

"Don't be mistaken," she snapped, "I am not feeling sorry for you or anything. I still think you're a bloody asshole and that what happened with your sister does not excuse your vile behaviour."

My teeth gritted, I was about to get the hell out of there, being in _no_ mood to listen to one of Sakura's lectures.

"But," she continued in a softer tone that stopped me dead in my tracks. "I think I understand you better now. You don't act like this just because you're a spoiled brat. It's because you're hurting, I get that. What I cannot fathom is why you don't do anything to move past it."

Anger rose within me. "Listen, you little-"

"Don't you tell me that I'm wrong!" Her voice was loud and sharp. "Everyone can see it – it's obvious! No matter where you are, whether in class or with your friends, you never relax. You're all alone. And when you're alone you can't fix yourself."

My mouth had turned dry so I didn't try to answer, which worked out fine as I had no idea of what to say. She cleared her throat and I saw that her eyes had turned curiously glassy.

"I just can't understand..." she began and looked around to make sure no one was listening or looking. We were in luck – the hall being practically deserted. "That time with the car. When I pulled you away from the road." She didn't elaborate and I didn't need her to. I knew exactly to what she was referring. "How could you act so indifferent? Weren't you... didn't it hurt you?" then Mikan Sakura looked at me again with her big, brown, bewildered eyes and something in me stirred.

I sighed deeply, too tired to make excuses. "It did. But I don't want it to. No matter what you say about opening up and letting in, it makes me feel weak. And I don't want to feel weak. Not ever."

She stared at me for a little while longer before it was her turn to let out a sigh and shake her head. "I guess I just can't change the way you think, huh."

My eyes followed her back as she walked away.

It's weird. People are full of contradictions. They're strong. And then they're not. They're indifferent. And then they're not.

..-

**A/N: I feel the need to apologize for the late update, but in my defence this chapter was the hardest one to write yet. I wasn't happy with it for a long, long time and couldn't seem to finish it. I think it was mostly because it is so dark-ish with Natsume's past and Tubasa and all that. But let me know what you think. **


	15. Satan's Assistent

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**Finally done with this chapter. It turned out quite nice but also quite different from what I had planned. And there is some sexual content, just so you guys know. Also: Introducing character in this chapter! Yess, who have we all been missing? Read on ;-)

**Rating/**M

**Genre/**Love. And the long, bumpy road to get there.

**Words/**5010

**15: Satan's Assistent**

-x-

-.

-..

**Mikan**

"What should I do?" I groaned hiding my head in my hands. "Tsubasa is mad at me." I had been trying to sort things out with him on more than one occasion since the 'defending-Natsume' situation but he had brushed me off every time.

"That's what you get for taking Hyuuga's side, Mikan," said Hotaru distractedly.

"I still can't believe you did that!" Hayden joined in with anger clearly evident in his voice.

"Well, you guys weren't there," I mumbled. "Tsubasa was being really insensitive."

"_Insensitive_? Is something wrong with your head, Mikan? Last time I checked Hyuuga was the biggest asshole on the planet. You'd think it would be all right to act a little _insensitive_ towards him!" Nonoko exclaimed with an eye roll before going back to the book she was reading.

Having neither the time nor the inclination to explain everything I just let it go. "But what should I do about Tsubasa?" I repeated. "Hotaru?"

"What?" she sounded surprised. I blinked.

"Um, about Tsubasa being angry?"

She sighed. "Just wait a while, he will come around." She went back to staring holes in the newspaper in front of her.

Hotaru had been acting strange lately. Having had my own worries – mainly concerning one particular person of the opposite sex – I hadn't really been paying attention. But now, sitting in one of the study areas with her, Nonoko and Hayden, having just finished an after-lunch-snack (also the main reason we weren't seated in the library) – I noticed.

Something was clearly off. She was fidgeting. Hotaru _never_ fidgeted about anything. When Nonoko had arrived rather suddenly at the sofas we'd chosen to sit in, I swear Hotaru had given a little, startled jump. Not an _alarmingly_ startled one, but a startled one nonetheless. And she usually wasn't – startled, I mean.

Oh, well. She apparently wasn't the only one in a strange mood I discovered as I looked up from my biology notes (God, I dislike that subject) and something else caught my eye.

A great frown was marrying Hayden's features as he seemed determined to destroy the ice-cubes from his glass with his teeth. This was unusual for he generally was one of the happiest people I knew.

I came to a hold staring openly at Hayden with a frown of my own. "What _the hell_ is that?" Nonoko looked up and then at me like she wasn't really sure if I was talking about Hayden's behaviour or Hayden himself.

On the other hand, Hayden merely shot me an irritably glare and spat out the ice. "This? This is ice. This is what happens to water when it gets too cold."

"This? This is Hayden. This is what happens to people when they get too sexually frustrated," drawled Hotaru's usual stoic voice from behind the newspaper. I let out an amused snort and felt a little relieved that _she_ at least seemed to be behaving normally again, before Hayden actually got to the point where he would sent Hotaru a flushed glare. What was up with him, I had no idea. Maybe he was having guy-troubles.

Thinking of guy-troubles made me think of Natsume and thinking of Natsume made my stomach flutter. It might have been because I knew something so many intimate things about him. Then again, it might just be something I ate.

It was strange, though, I had realised that thinking of Natsume didn't make me curse his existence any longer. When I saw him, I didn't brace myself for a fight, instead I felt a slight anticipation – _butterflies_ – that I couldn't quite explain but was certain I hadn't experienced before.

My conclusion was that somewhere, along the way, I had simply stopped hating him. I wasn't a very hateful person to begin with and it had taken a lot of convincing from Natsume (which he delivered in form of particularly nasty behaviour) for me to even grow a hatred for him in the first place.

I _had_ grown one, though. But now it had gone.

With Natsume I felt frustration, yes. I felt anger, yes. I felt incomprehensibility, incredulousness, fury, yes. But not hatred. Apparently, I'd become immune to his jerk-ways and somehow I had begun seeing _things_ in him, things such as feelings and stuff, that I was slowly starting to convince myself was actually there.

That there was more to him.

"Mikan, are you all right? You're bright red." Hayden's slightly sour voice pulled me back to reality.

"Yes, I'm just peachy!" My voice was chirpy as hell but none of the others seemed to notice. Hotaru had her whole concentration set on a piece of paper that she was scribbling furiously on. Hayden rolled his eyes and went back to his ice cubes, thankfully refraining from crushing them any further. I sighed so softly they didn't hear and carefully crumbled my newly written biology notes before aiming at the trash can in the faraway corner. My aim having always been utter shit, I obviously missed.

"Typical," I mumbled and got up to get the notes from the floor. Just as I was slightly bent over the trash can making sure I wouldn't miss a second time I felt a heavy push against my back and fell to the floor, crashing into the trash can and knocking it over on my way down.

Sitting in a pile of trash which thankfully only contained paper, I looked up in disorientation. Towering above me was a girl I hadn't seen before. She had the most amusing perm I'd seen in a while, and if I hadn't been so surprised I would have laughed out loud. Dark green ringlets framed a face that I realized would have been pretty had it not been for the expression of loathing it wore.

"So sorry about that," she told me snootily looking anything but.

I snorted loudly, "Well, if you're sorry about it you shouldn't push people down in the first place."

The look I received in return was icy cold. "Know your place, _geek_!" Permy sneered and I had a strange feeling she was talking about something entirely different.

Her high heels spun around managing to spread the trash around even more as she stalked away. As Hayden and Nonoko approached me with confused and slightly concerned looks on their faces I delivered my third sigh that day, this one a great deal heavier than the prior, and reluctantly noted that even if I hadn't been on patrol with Dawn for almost a month and Luna hadn't bothered me for two weeks there _still_ seemed to be people out to get me.

-..

**Natsume**

"What are you doing?"

I looked up to see Koko awake and dressed. Seeing as it wasn't noon yet I hadn't been expecting it. Assuming a casual look I turned my attention back to my task. "My speech," I answered.

"For class?"

"No, my funeral."

Koko frowned, his pouting lips more pronounced than ever. "Natsume dear, these days you've become nastier and crueler. Even to me."

"You mean _especially _to you?" I raised my brows. "Koko _dear_, I've yet to remember an incident when I _wasn't _nasty or cruel to you."

"My point exactly." He rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "God forbid, even _Hayden's_company is more attractive than yours."

That was supposed to annoy me, so I ignored it but still squinted as I bit out, "I resent that. _Nothing_ Gayden owns is more attractive than mine." I thought of Mikan Sakura and added, "No one in their right mind would think so."

"Whatever." Koko sat beside me and looked around. "Hey, what's that?"

In reflex I placed an arm over my parchment, covering it just in case he was feasting on what I'd written. He wasn't. I followed his eyes and they rested on a small box with a pink bow on top. "No idea," I said, relaxing a bit.

Koko stood and approached it. "For my beloved," he read off a small rectangular note. He flipped it open. "May I find you wearing my gift today. Sincerely, your S.A." Koko's face glowed.

He placed the note over his heart, sighing dreamily.

"S.A.?" I asked, my curiosity peaked despite my decision to ignore him. "Satan's Assistant?"

"Secret Admirer," he retorted, lifting the lid off the box. Koko reached for what was inside, and his hands brought out a black cloth. "It's…" he trailed off. "It's a shirt." He inspected the label. "From _GAP_." His smile widened, and he quickly shrugged his own shirt off and wore the gift on. He smirked. "I think it's quite perfect."

"Don't get a hard-on," I told him disgustedly. "It's just a shirt, for Christ's sake."

"Well it's a gift," Koko said. A dreamy, far-off smile lit his face again. "From my Secret admirer. And it's a _shirt_. I'm not complaining."

"It's good one of us aren't," drawled a third voice, "because I _am_."

I looked at the shadowy part of the room and saw Ruka emerge from it. I rolled my eyes. Honestly, I came here to find some peace and quiet and all I was able to do is one measly paragraph and then these people come barging in! Why in God's name are they up so early, anyway? I folded my paper, knowing that I couldn't do any more of it. I stuffed it inside my pocket.

"What's wrong?" Koko asked, frowning as he stared at my best friend's annoyed expression. "You look like your parents forbade you to do something destructive."

Ruka sniffed but thankfully his eyes weren't swollen, as I wouldn't know what the hell to say if he'd been crying. Imagine. "Professor Serina, that's what," he answered, brandishing a small note in his hands. "It's quite ridiculous!"

I grabbed the note from him and Koko moved to stand behind me to see. It read:

_Mr. Nogi,_

_This is to inform you that I have received complaints from Ms. Imai of you stalking her. According to Paragraph Thirty, Section Two of the Alice Academy Code of Student Ethics and Proper Conduct, no student is allowed to stalk another student regardless of reason. Therefore, it is within my authority, as one of the professors, to order you to stay away from Ms. Imai, and outside of your school project you are not to approach or talk to her, nor are you to give her any gifts._

_Professor Serina._

I met Koko's eyes and we laughed unabashedly.

Ruka produced a sound much like a snake would when wounded. "Shut up! This isn't funny!" he snapped.

"Come on, Ruka," I drawled, rolling the note and throwing it at him, "you know you went overboard with mauling your beloved ice queen with gifts."

"It's not like you have great taste in choosing them, either," Koko added. "Though they did provide us with unceasing entertainment."

Ruka blushed and glared at him. "For your information, those are gifts _any_ regular guy would get for a girl he likes!"

"They are? Really? Even the Lovebug?" asked Koko, seemingly interested.

"Yes!" said Ruka, sounding frustrated. "What the heck am I going to do? How will I get Imai to date me if I'm not allowed to _ever _get near her or even give her gifts?"

"One word: _Blackmail_," Mochu who had just waltzed in told him, eyes gleaming evilly.

"I'm not _that _desperate, thank you."

"There's always your project," I pointed out, mentioning the yearly science-project where Ruka, much to his own amazement had been paired up with his dream girl. "Haven't you realized that the professor didn't do anything about you and Imai being partners?"

Ruka looked at me, renewed hope filling his face. "That's it! I could—"

"Of course," said Koko as he lifted his arms to inspect his shirt, "you can't do anything audacious because Narumi is there."

"Nonsense," I said with a dismissive wave. "He won't notice. Aren't you placed in the middle?"

"Actually, at the back." A wicked grin erupted on Ruka's face, mirroring the wicked thoughts on my mind perfectly. "We're _at the back_…" And for the first time since I'd known him, he looked like he was planning something vile.

"As much as I'd love to stay and solve all your problems I best be off to the library to find some smock whose homework I can copy," Koko saluted to which Mochu frowned in annoyance.

"Not like _you_'ve solved a damn thing, you jerk. You always go around acting like-"

"Mochu dear," Koko interrupted with assumed pity. "Go and listen to some happy music, yeah? Clearly you need it." He ignored Mochu's angry outburst and turned to me. "You coming, Nat?"

"Yeah," I said and sent Ruka a questioning look.

"I'm coming in a bit, you go ahead." He seemed absorbed in thinking of ways to get the principal's daughter to date him.

"I'm taking a time-out from that bastard over there," said Mochu angrily pointing towards Koko who was whistling innocently.

"Want me to find some music for you, Mochu? I've got just the thing. Nice and soft tunes. Nothing to be scared of." Koko said.

"What the fuck?!"

"I'm going ahead." And with an eye roll I strolled out the door.

Having only taken a couple of steps some girl I didn't remember having seen before suddenly stood before me. I dislike people getting in my way and this one had green hair which ticked me of even more.

"Get the hell out of my way," I told her.

"Sorry," she mumbled and took a tiny step to the right, fidgeting with her hands. "I was just wondering... uh, if you got it?" She looked at me hopefully.

I had no fucking clue what she was on about.

"Hey, Nat!" Koko smacked my shoulder with a grin. "Don't go 'round on your own. You could get lost!" He noticed the green-haired girl and stopped talking.

"Nice hair," he commented. "Who're you?"

The girl wasn't listening and I was slightly surprised to see that her appearance had changed from a nervous wreck to a murderous lunatic in mere seconds.

"What are you _wearing_?" the girl sneered at Koko and he raised a brow at her in return before looking down to examine his new shirt again.

"Well, it's a gift if you must know. Like it?" Koko grinned at her cheekily.

The girl stepped forward and grabbed a fistful of Koko's shirt, drawing him close to her face. "It's not for you, you absolute _wanker_!" she growled.

Koko blinked at her, for once rendered speechless. The girl released him from her iron hold and looked towards me with pleading eyes.

"What?" I said with boredom.

"N-nothing!" Then she stormed off, green hair and all.

"What just _happened_?" Koko wondered looking like he'd just woken up from a nightmare. I shook my head. I had no clue and it wasn't really any of my business.

I cursed and turned around in the middle of the hallway. Koko shot me a look that asked what the fuck I was doing and I said "Notes," as explanation.

"But the others are coming right fucking now!"

"Don't care. I need my notes." I ignored his protests and headed back towards the dormitory.

-..

**Mikan**

"Wishy washy, soapy hands, soapy ha~ands..." I sang quietly before drying my hands with a towel. "Drying hands, dry, dry ha~AAAAANNNDS!"

I was trying to bring myself in a better mood but it wasn't really working so far. The green-haired girl who had pushed me into the trash can had been following me most of the day. At first, we had joked about it and Nonoko had said I might have an admirer while giggling like mad. Hayden had contributed with the suggestion that the push might have been her way of trying to get my attention. I had laughed with them. But now it didn't seem all that amusing anymore. I wanted her to stop giving me the evil eye and to stop harassing me. I didn't fancy being pushed or tripped, especially when I had no idea why she did it. I had thought I would give myself a break. So I went to the bathroom for some alone-time.

"Now you're talking to yourself? You are just the epitome of weird." I jumped with fright. Hadn't counted on her following me all the way to the bathroom.

"That's creepy!" I told her.

"_You_'re creepy," Permy replied with indifference as she stepped further into the room.

"What's your deal anyway?" she demanded to know, placing her pedicured hands on her hips and aggressively drumming her manicured nails against her designer clothes. She really would look like a million if it wasn't for the hair.

I felt frustration building up. "What do you mean 'what's my deal'? What's _yours_?!"

"-Hanging around Natsume all day long even though you're just a nobody- throwing things at him and pretending to hate him- I am _asking _you what your fucking deal is, _bitch_?!"

I gaped. "I don't 'hang around' him and I most certainly do not _pretend_ to hate him! Also don't call me bitch!"

"But there's no way you _actually_ hate him. No one could hate such a beautiful man," she explained while ignoring my last comment.

"Well, _I _do!"

"No you don't." She said this and she looked at me with a conviction so strong I couldn't protest. "It's perfectly clear you _like_ him. You _want_ him. But you better watch your back because there's no way I'm giving Natsume to a loser like you."

Permy shot me a final look of disgust before she twirled around and walked out.

I stared after her back, thinking how many batty people actually went to this school. "I do _not_ want him!" I angrily replied to the closed bathroom door. And why the hell did she think she could decide who would or wouldn't get Natsume – she wasn't his girlfriend or anything, was she? And why did I even care?

Natsume had finally stopped bugging me in public and now it was suddenly someone else bugging me. I mean, did I look like an easy victim?!

Unless it wasn't a coincidence at all. Unless that bastard Natsume had gotten someone else to do his dirty work! I began running before I knew it – out of the bathroom, past Dawn who looked like she wanted to insult me and towards the rooms I knew Natsume stayed in.

He was going to be sorry if he was the one behind this.

-..

**Natsume**

"What the fuck?" I mumbled pushing a couple of notes down on the floor. I had no idea whose it was and I didn't give a rat's ass. My own notes for class were missing and I'd be damned if I was going to have to rewrite it. If Dick or one of the other guys had been here I would have made them search for it but by some strange coincidence I was alone in the dormitory.

That was until Mikan Sakura barged in slamming the door behind her. She was out of breath but wasted no time and in two seconds she was right in my face, nearly screaming.

"_What the heck are you up to_?!"

I snorted. "Your communication skills are really lacking. Normally you don't ask questions completely out of context."

She stared at me for a while and I merely raised a brow in return. She finally drew a deep breath that seemed to calm her a bit.

"Look," she began sternly, "I need to speak to you."

"Keep your knickers on," I replied with sarcasm, secretly taking pleasure in the flush my comment brought to her cheeks.

"Don't assume I'm enjoying this! It's not like I tried to get you alone or- or anything..." her voice faded to an almost-whisper and she looked downright pained by her own choice of words.

"Right," I raised an eyebrow at her and sat down in my favourite couch. Mikan Sakura fidgeted a bit seemingly unsure of what to do.

I smirked at her. "Not gonna sit down?"

Her head snapped towards me like a deer caught in a headlight. "Oh!" she exclaimed and examined the various sitting places in the room before risking the one I had chosen. I watched as she carefully seated herself at the farthest end of the couch.

Silence stretched between us and I decided to break it before I'd start to think of what she had said the last time we spoke.

_You're all alone._

"What did you want?" I drawled with assumed nonchalance.

"Right! Do you remember the deal we made?"

"Deal?" I pretended to be stupid. "Was there such a thing?"

"Of course, there was! The deal that I wouldn't tell anyone about the sessions and in return you wouldn't bother me in public – _that_ deal!"

She huffed and I had to restrain myself from grinning. "Right. What about it? Changed your mind, have you?" I certainly hoped not.

"No, but I wanted to ask if _you_ had." She looked pretty upset and I immediately went still.

I moved closer to look at her, but she snapped her head away from mine. "What's the matter with you?" I asked annoyed.

She ignored me, so I tugged on her sleeve. She turned towards me frowning.

"What?" I inquired and she fidgeted uneasily.

"Are you having someone else bully me?" she blurted her eyes staring straight into mine.

Processing her words in my mind I was careful not to let the surprise show on my face. "Why the hell would you think that?"

She looked down at her hands. "No reason."

I snorted. Provoked by my reaction she continued, "There's just been a few situations lately-"

"Situations?"

"Well, it's no big deal. I've just been pushed down and such." Mikan Sakura shrugged as if she didn't care much but I could clearly see that it was bothering her.

"Who's pushing you down?" I asked calmly but inside my blood was boiling.

"Just some girl- look, if it's not something you arranged then forget it, OK? I'll do something about it."

We're silent after that. I couldn't help being a little impressed with her decision to handle it herself although it shouldn't have surprised me at all. She is so set on being independent it's almost ridiculous.

"I didn't really think it was you," she suddenly said with a quiet voice. As if she was afraid I had taken her accusation to heart. "I just had to ask." Couldn't really blame her for being suspicious of me, could I.

"Have you made up with Andou yet?" Quickly changing the subject to something I'd actually been curious about. Mikan Sakura sighed heavily and finally relaxed a bit into the couch.

"No," she frowned and turned her head to look at me. "You?"

I almost feel like laughing at her naïve question. "That's not likely to happen anytime soon," I replied.

"He will forgive you eventually, though." I stared at her wondering where that confidence in her voice came from. "Because Tsubasa is so, _so_ angry with you. And you can only be that angry with people you care about."

I snorted. "What kind of logic is that?"

Her cheeks turned even rosier as she protested, "It's true!"

Rolling my eyes at her she countered by poking me in the side. I caught her hand.

We both stared at our hands.

I look away and let go in one smooth motion. "If that theory of yours is correct you must care about me a huge fucking lot."

It was meant as a joke but the way Mikan Sakura's eyes widened and the small gasp that escaped her lips made me think that maybe it wasn't.

We looked at each other and her eyes were huge like Bambi's and so fucking green and suddenly she stood with panic written all over her face and chirped something about having to leave.

In the exact moment I stood as well she tripped and stumbled backwards right into my chest.

Instinctively, I grabbed her shoulders to steady her. And then I didn't let go. Her back to my chest was the same position as the one in Naru's office and I realized that it felt kind of good. In this position she couldn't see my face, she wouldn't know what I was thinking and that thought pleased me. Also, she smelled nice...

"What are you doing?" she broke the silence.

"What do you think?" I could tell from her stiff shoulders that she wasn't prepared for my voice that close to her ear. The common room was warm as it was, the fireplace smouldering away, but pressed against a female body I was getting a different kind of hot.

As an experiment I placed my hand on her hip and then slowly ran it up her stomach, stopping just below her breasts. Mikan Sakura's breath quickened. But so did my own. My brain began combining things that hadn't been combined like that before. Sakura. Sakura with breasts. Sakura's naked breasts and those little gasps and her curls, rid of those ridiculous pigtails, sprayed all over my pillow. My hands on her smooth stomach. My hands everywhere.

Suddenly the fire inside me was concentrated in one specific place. A hard-on _now. _For fuck's sake.

Her gasp was the only indication that she had felt it. Her shoulders stiffened, revealing how uncomfortable I was making her. I liked that gasp and I liked making her uncomfortable so I placed my mouth against her ear and breathed, "You know what that is, don't you?"

"_What_?" her voice was soft, shaky. Like it had been in my mind.

I feigned surprise. "Well, it would seem my dick isn't as picky about women as I am."

"Your...?" she didn't finish. Her breathing had turned more shallow as her body temperature rose. I remained pressed against her, strangely turned on by her reactions.

"Yeah," I whispered in her ear once more. "My _dick_. You feel it, right?"

I breathed heavily on her neck to which I felt her shiver. I pressed even closer, my front firmly against her back.

Then I moved against her.

She gasped and threw me off. I watched as she ran out the room, slamming the door behind her. I tried to calm down, my insides on fire, my hands shaking as I ran my fingers through my hair leaning against the wall. Someone coughed and I swivelled round, finally noticing that Ruka had apparently just entered the room. I quickly put up a hand to stop him from saying anything and stormed off.

-..

**Mikan**

"Mikan, what's up?" Nonoko greeted with her mouth full of crisps. She and Hotaru were seated on a couple of pillows in front of the TV, playing a shooting game. Hotaru barely acknowledged me, clearly very absorbed in the game, fingers tapping away at the controller.

I was glad that they weren't paying attention to me. If they had, they would surely have known that something was off. A quick glance in the mirror confirmed my suspicion. I looked downright feverish. Mumbling a greeting in return I ducked my neck and hurried into my private chambers.

_Whatthehellwhatthehellwhatth ehell?!_ The question went completely out of proportions in my mind, repeating itself over and over again. My mouth felt utterly dry, my tongue thick, my lips were like sandpaper and to top it all – my heart was beating like a drum, just as mercilessly hard.

I threw myself onto the bed, hiding hiding underneath my sheets. It wasn't helping one bit, I still felt him all over me, the memory of his body heat, the shape of his arms and chest and the vivid feeling of his...

"Oh, _hell_ no!" Face burning with what could only be called shame I buried my head under the pillow. Trying to calm down but failing when discovering the chills still present on my arms. And forgetting Natsume's pleasant smell anytime soon would be impossible.

It was like his presence had taken up the space around me, replacing air and I felt as if every time I drew a breath it was _him_ I breathed. I felt hot all over, my body burning like flames and at the same time my skin felt sensitive to the smallest touch.

Without further thinking, I slowly trailed my hand down my stomach and underneath the sheets, enjoying the goosebumps. When my fingers touched I could feel how damp it was already. I spread my legs slightly and slipped one finger inside. Then another.

The sensation was amazing. I'd never been so hot, never felt so ready for-... what it was exactly, I wasn't sure. But I moved my fingers and I spread my legs wider and something was building inside of me, I was on fire, I was present, I was alive. I closed my eyes and imagined it's someone else's fingers, that the warmth of the sheets around me is a person's warmth and it all exploded in white as my eyes rolled back and I was connected to everything and everywhere was in my and around me and I knew I had never had an orgasm anywhere close to this before.

I wanted Natsume Hyuuga.

"Damn it!" I knocked my head so hard against the wall everything went black.

-..

**A/N: Am officially changing rating to Mature. After this chapter (even though I still think people underage can read it) I guess I have to... Wasn't planning on this story having any sexual content but the more I wrote about Natsume and Mikan the more I realized it would just be plain unrealistic if nothing occurred. I mean, they're almost adults for Christ's sake. Anyway, let me know what you think :-)**


	16. Joining the Club

**Geeky Attraction**

**Author's note/**For some reasonI might need to clarify something according to one review I got for chapter 15:

"_**"I knew I had never had an ** anywhere close to this before." **Quote. I thought that she said she was a virgin? I'm just cinfused about that part other than that it was a great story."_

This comment made my day.

I'm just saying this for the record – it is perfectly possible to have an orgasm by yourself. Yes, Mikan is a virgin but she's had orgasms when pleasuring herself... (Why do I even have to explain something as basic as this?!)

Anyways. Hope you understand that I haven't made a mistake, Guest ;-)

**Rating/**M

**Genre/**Love. And the long, bumpy road to get there.

**Words/**5339

**16: Joining the Club**

-x-

-.

-..

**Mikan**

When I was little I would always lose things. My clothes, drawings, even my favourite teddybear. I would go around saying: "it's gone, it's gone," while being on the verge of tears. My mom would always help me look for them.

This time I seemed to have lost something much more important. It seemed I had lost my _mind_. And I had absolutely no idea of where to look. Because I seemed to, somehow and without meaning to, be thinking of Natsume Hyuuga. _All. The. Time_. And I really didn't want to. Like: really, _really_ didn't. So I'd been trying to distract myself with some extensive reading. Which was not working. Which was in fact making it worse. Everything I read was like a trigger to a memory regarding Natsume. Such as an innocent passage about a red sunset made me think of how his eyes became pools of darkness and suggestiveness when he had looked at me in the classroom.

Heaven forbid me from reading anything erotic because I was constantly reminded of the incident where he'd been pressed against me, it was there in the back of my mind, like a constant nagging, a suggestive whisper from the darkest corners of my imagination. I slammed the book closed and grabbed for a random magazine. My eyes landed on an add for Chinese food. _Remembering four months ago, Natsume eating noodles with chopsticks, his face set in concentration, the noodle going towards his mouth, up and up, lips parting_... aaaaaaand stop!

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!" In a sudden spur of anger I threw the magazine across the room and scrambled from my seat to leave just as the librarian shot me a look of dismay. Jesus, it's not like it was an expensive book or anything. Stopping in front of the library doors, pacing back and forth. Throwing a book, for God's Sake! "Over noodles!" I grumbled out loud massaging my temples.

"Mikan," a voice called me and I jumped and twirled around only to meet Tsubasa's searching eyes. A brief moment of disappointment flowed through my body, a flash of dark hair and eyes in my mind... But no. Obviously, it's _not_ him. He'd never call me by my first name. Not that I particularly wanted him to. Oh, who was I kidding.

"We need to talk." I nodded, forcing my thoughts back to reality in time to notice how fidgety Tsubasa was, looking at the ground, feet scraping against the floor. He's sorry.

Before I knew it I was hugging him, grinning like a lunatic. Tsubasa merely let out a startled: "Uooff!" before returning my embrace, squeezing me tightly. "You were right," he whispered. "I was bein' uncool."

"Water under the bridge," I muttered relaxing for the first time that day. Looking over Tsubasa's broad shoulder I caught a glimpse of Natsume and my breath hitched. He watched the scene with a thoughtful look before meeting my eyes and smirking. He turned away before I could decide whether or not to return his almost-smile.

Sensing the change in my behaviour, Tsubasa released me and turned only to catch sight of Natsume walking away.

"He was happy we'd made up," I thought aloud, surprised because I realized that it's true. He'd been pleased. Tsubasa didn't reply but the frown on his face wasn't as deep as it had been before.

"You should talk it over with him, you know." Tsubasa shot me a pointed look. "Not that it's any of my business," I hurriedly continued.

"I think I will," he said slowly. "What I don't get is why you keep interfering and defending him so much. He's been a downright prick towards you for years, hasn't he?"

"Yeah, I know. But he's... been different lately. Or he hasn't, really. There's just been a few circumstances that's forced me to re-evaluate my opinion of him. Now I think about him- I mean, I think _better_ of him and- …" Shutting up and staring at Tsubasa's slightly gaping mouth and blinking eyes.

"And I don't _know _why!" I exclaimed forcefully. But the truth was that I _did_ know. At that exact moment when Tsubasa asked the golden question – why the heck I even cared – I knew.

Despite all reason, I fancied Natsume Hyuuga.

-.

**Natsume**

So Sakura made up with Andou. It was a good thing, I guess. Sakura wasn't the kind of person who could stand fighting with anyone for very long. Well, except for me.

It annoyed me, though. Seeing how easily she did it, when I knew how fucking hard it was for me to get Andou to just look at me without contempt. Opening the door to the common room I spotted Koko seated in a sofa. A loud, screeching voice directed at him made me stop and think twice before approaching. Instead I nonchalantly sidestepped until I was hidden behind a rather large houseplant.

"Go. Away!" _screech, screech_. The girl making inhumane noises was sitting next to Koko, screaming like he was a molester or something. Her hairdo did ring a bell, though... right. She was the weirdo that had stopped me in the hallway before. Permy something or other.

"You really are a ray of sunshine," Koko sent her a winning smile. That smile he usually plastered on right before getting laid. Christ, he wasn't serious, was he? Of all girls, he went for the bipolar one with seaweed hair?

Koko leaned closer to her at the exact same time that she was leaning away, looking like she had just smelled something horrible. Koko casually ignored it. "Say, why don't we go somewhere – Just the two of us?"

"Are you, like, retarded or something?!" Seaweed screeched aggressively and pushed Koko off. "Like I'd ever go anywhere with _you_."

Koko blinked, clearly surprised his tactics weren't working. Then his face split in a huge grin, "I must say, you're a real piece of work."

"I must say, you're a real piece of _shit_!"

Koko whistled. "Ohh, that's harsh, love." I swear, he was enjoying himself. "And here I was, having just decided to give the shirt back to you." His eyes shined. "Or maybe you don't really want it back at all?"

"You know what," Seaweed fumed, "Why don't you just take that stupid shirt and shove it up your arse?!"

"Oh, I see, so by your instructions, I'm supposed to torture myself anally?" Koko replied with a cheeky grin. "Is that what you're into? Do your friends know about that?"

"For your information," she snarled, "I already fancy someone: the _true_ owner of that shirt. So don't even bother!" Seaweed stood up and moved to walk away. Then she paused, a thoughtful look on her face.

"What's-?" was all Koko managed before she stomped on his foot with her heels. "And don't _call_ me 'love'!" she screamed storming off.

"Who do you fancy?" Koko yelled after her with a pained voice but she didn't bother with a reply, already turning a corner and then she was gone. Finally, I decided it was safe to come out and carefully slipped into the sofa next to Koko. He didn't look up, in the middle of examining his foot with a slight worry etched to his features.

"Didn't know you were a masochist," I told him nonchalantly.

"It's the hair, man." Koko shook his head in amazement. "I'm a sucker for the hair."

-.

**Mikan**

Hotaru was still on her bed where she'd been hours before, organizing the gifts she had received from Ruka-pyon. I rushed in, falling against the door, panting for breath.

Blurting, "I like Natsume Hyuuga."

"What?"

"I like Natsume Hyuuga!"

She finally focused her attention on me. "Join the club."

"But this can't be happening!" I began to pace, shaking my head as I did. "He's a cruel jerk who doesn't care about anything!"

"Makes you want to question where your voice of reason has disappeared to."

"I mean, he's good looking but he's not… He's not…"

"_Just_ good looking? There's something wrong with you."

"He's not Prince Charming."

Hotaru blinked slowly. "Come again?"

I shook my head, "Never mind."

"No, you just said he's not Prince Charming." Hotaru smirked coyly, "do you have a Prince Charming?"

"Well…" I sighed, resigned to my embarrassment, "I've always had this image in my head of what he should be like."

"And what's that?" She asked curiously.

"Well, he's got… He's got this amazing smile, that's sweet and honest… He's… Well I've always imagined he has blond hair and he's kind and he works hard and… Well yeah." I finished lamely.

"You know." Hotaru began, "That description sounds an awful lot like Nogi." Her eyes narrowed.

"Huh? No! I don't like Ruka-pyon! I mean- obviously I like him, what's not to like? He's nice, sweet, treats people well – totally not like Natsume! But I don't _like-_like him, besides he's totally into _you_, Hotaru-"

"Mikan!" Hotaru snapped at me and immediately I went silent. Her eyes were stern and serious. I swallowed nervously, not entirely sure what I had done to upset her.

"It is true that Nogi has convinced himself that I am somehow 'special'. However, it is not that he likes me. He doesn't even _know_ me." Hotaru seemed frustrated even as she spoke calmly, letting the garbage can swallow a teddy bear holding a heart.

"Hey, that one was cute!" I protested but Hotaru merely shot me a look. "Anyway, it's not like I know everything about Natsume either," I found myself defending Ruka, "And what I _do_ know, I'm not so sure I like. Rather, I'm not sure what I feel about it at all. But _apparently_ it all adds up to me liking him anyway."

"_Apparently_ you've lost your mind." Flowers went into the can.

"I know. I'm in deep shit." I mumbled thinking of just how completely ridiculous it was.

Hotaru glanced at me, then sighed. "Look at this." She threw me another stuffed animal of some sort.

I caught it and studied it with my interest peaked, "What is it?"

"Love Bug." Hotaru made a grimace.

"He's in love," I grinned at her affronted look and gave the bug back. I noticed that she hesitated before stuffing it into the can. Oh, well you can't win every time.

Hotaru went silent for a minute. Then, "What about Hyuuga? Are you going to do something about him?" She shot me a calculating look.

"Like what?"

Her look stated 'duh', "Like _confess_. Not that you should hope for much considering his vile personality..."

My cheeks grew hotter. "I'm, uh... I don't think that's even an option, Hotaru."

"Why not? Usually, you're big on this sort of thing. Honesty and so on," she argued drily.

"Yeah," mumbling, I threw myself onto her bed with a frustrated sound. "It's just that for the past months... It feels like we've been competing against each other, you know. And if I confess to him it'll be like he's _won_."

I sat up to look at Hotaru who was busy shooing me off of her bed. "Also, even if by some extraordinary chance that he likes me back... I can't imagine him being my boyfriend at all." Despite my words I felt my heart pounding mercilessly in my chest at the thought.

"I'm going to the library for a while," I mumbled, grabbing for a random book. "I think I need some air."

"Now there's a contradiction," Hotaru commented and studied me intensely for a second. She must have decided I would be all right on my own and turned her gaze towards the remaining presents still clamping up her room.

"See you," I waved distractedly.

The library was great. Especially if you needed some quiet time to think and you didn't want to be distracted. Few students come here in the afternoon and the librarians aren't as strict as they usually are. Which was why it became my favourite time of the day.

I sat down at my personal table (Last year, I had secretly written my name underneath it) and opened my book. It was just going to be me and my book. Extensive reading. Not thinking about Natsume. Right.

I couldn't have been reading for longer than ten minutes when a voice interrupted me, "What are _you_ doing here?" Lifting my head I came across green eyes. And green hair. Permy. Of all people...

"Reading."

"Well, you don't have to do it right _here_, do you!"

"Last I checked, this was a public library."

Permy huffed angrily but didn't go away. I tried to go back to reading my book but her presence was distracting and I finally closed it with a sigh.

"All right, what do you want?"

"Like I want anything from _you_," she snorted.

"Well, why are you standing here then? Plenty of other shelves to stand by."

"I'll stand where ever I want, It's a _public_ library," she mocked.

I rolled my eyes. "Good for you."

Silence stretched between us only interrupted by the occasional turn of a page. I had almost managed to forget her unwanted presence altogether, when Permy decided to break it.

"I can't _believe_ Natsume would hang with a loser like you."

I slammed the book closed. "For the last time, we do not '_hang_'! We hardly speak!" The last part said with a tiny bit of regret. I'm hoping she didn't catch that.

A slow smile spread on Permy's face like that of a predator who's found its prey. Damn, she noticed. "So it's one-sided." She was practically glowing as she absorbed the look of horror spreading on my face. "Whaat, I worried for nothing. Anyway, there is just no way in hell someone like Natsume Hyuuga would go for someone like... _you_."

The chair fell as I shot up, "And why not?! At least, I _like_ myself! At least, I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not! I'm not a fake- like _you!_" Uh—oh, that wasn't very clever.

"H-how dare you? I'll have you know this is 100% real Gucci!"

"Just how superficial can you _get_?!"

Permy grabbed for my pencil case but I saw what she was doing and ducked my head just as it came flying. "I'm not a fake!" she screamed.

"You are! And you're also like... (locating my backpack and throwing it at her) the _meanest_ person I've ever had the misfortune of meeting!"

Permy used her hands as shield for the flying bag but then let out a loud yell. "You broke my nail, you demon!"

The ridiculousness of the situation hit me like a rock and I couldn't help but laugh. Seconds later, Permy had thrown herself at me and I landed on the floor with a bang and a bruised shoulder, but I didn't have time to analyse it with Permy using all of her bodyweight to pin me down.

"Say. You're. Sorry." Permy hissed with difficulty. Her arms were locked around me in a deadly grip.

"Never," I retorted trying to wriggle my way out from underneath her.

"I'll scratch you with my remaining nails, you know!"

"Well, I'll bury you in books!"

We went silent and stopped trying to hurt each other, breathing heavily.

"Could you get off?"

"I think your hair is, like, stuck in my zipper..."

"Ridiculous," I muttered, trying to untangle a couple of strands from Permy's clothes. She was looking at something over my shoulder and just as I had freed myself from the zipper Permy grabbed my sleeve and dragged me into the nearest hiding place behind a bookshelf.

"Ouch!"

"Sscchh," she hushed at me. "There's Natsume!"

I looked to where her finger pointed and stared right into Natsume Hyuuga's eyes. At least, it felt that way. Obviously, he couldn't see me from behind the books but he was looking my way. My heart fluttered.

"I can't believe how handsome he is. Look at those cheekbones, look at-.. wait. What is _she_ doing here?!" Permy's rant was cut short by the appearance of Luna Koizumi. She was smiling and then she was touching Natsume's arm and he didn't look like he hated it and then... they were kissing each other.

"That _bitch_!" I heard Permy's angry voice next to my ear and felt her nails digging themselves into my arm, but only faintly as through I was standing behind a veil. I couldn't look away from Natsume and Luna. The way he held her to him, like he wanted to posses her and her legs wrapping themselves around his waist as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Then, fire inside my body and for the first time I truly hated Luna and I hated Natsume and I hated myself for reacting that way.

"God, I can't _believe_ this! I thought they were over! Didn't _you_?" Permy half-whispered, half-yelled and looked at me for confirmation.

Trying to think of an answer I forced myself to look away from the kissing couple, swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. I had thought they'd broken up, yes. Or I had assumed that they weren't together. Because... because of what? Because Natsume had been acting different with me lately? Because he had touched me that night? Maybe I had simply forgotten that the time Natsume spent with me was little and insignificant. It had no place in the real world.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Permy's voice sounded slightly worried and I couldn't even imagine how awful my face must have looked for her to show that kind of emotion.

"I'm... gonna..," I stammered, scrambling to my feet, not even for a second caring what Permy would think. Reaching the door I fumbled with the knob, throwing it open and then I ran. Out, out, out...

-.

**Natsume**

"Bookworm. Haven't seen you much these last few days."

She groaned, looking up from her notes and into my eyes. It's Tuesday afternoon and I knew she had been trying to do some last minute studying for an exam. Hair in disarray, clothing wrinkled and huge, shining eyes. I faintly wondered if this was what she'd look like right after a heavy make out session. Only, her mouth would look fuller and her lips would be red...

"Na-... _Hyuuga_," she said forcefully and I noticed her use of my surname. Hadn't heard that from her in a while. "How delightful to see you! How's your mum?" Refusing to move her stuff aside so I could sit down, she actually spread it over the table and surrounding seats, hoping it would discourage me. I smirked, slipping in next to her regardless and purposefully sat on her papers.

"Is it? I would have thought you'd forgotten about me with your incapability to focus on more than one thing at a time. I missed you, by the way," I drawled, at ease already. Ignoring the last time we were alone together was proving to be the best course of action after all.

She frowned at me, her face curiously red. "How I could possibly forget your big head is beyond my capabilities to comprehend." She scooped farther away from me and kept a stern face. "…Natty," she mocked. "I really do have to finish studying here, so…" she made a shooing motion with her hands. "If you please."

I glowered. "It seems a lot is beyond you these days," I said. "Why is that? Been a little preoccupied, Geeky girl? Still sore from Saturday night, are you?" Whoops. Slip of the tongue.

"No," she said succinctly but she was squirming in her seat, clearly uncomfortable. "I am not."

"Oh, really?"

"Right, Hyuuga. As you can see," she fidgeted, trying to swallow the embarrassment showing on her face. She gestured at her papers. "I am _trying_ to study for the Biology exam and I can't do that if you're here, stinking up the Library. A girl can't get a moment's peace when that happens. So if you could remove yourself, I would be most obliged."

I only moved closer. "Why should I remove myself?" I breathed into her ear. "You like me being here."

"As I see it, there are three reasons." She glanced at my neck from under her lashes. Long lashes. Red cheeks. And were those freckles? "Would you like to know what they are?"

I nodded in mock eager. "Sure, _Mikan_." She jumped slightly at the mentioning of her first name but didn't comment.

"Right. Well, as I see it…Reason number one: The exams are coming up. That should be reason enough to not want to be bothered. Especially by you. I need to do well."

"Pull the other one," I drawled. "You want me to bother you."

"Nat-Hyuuga…" she chastised. "No, I don't. Actually, I-."

I frowned. "Cut the bullshit, Sakura," I said. "You know you wanted me that night and you know you want me now."

"Well, if you want to believe that then that's fine," she replied looking anywhere but at me, "but really, I do not."

Shrugging, I said with an assumed confident tone to my voice, "We'll see. Now, as for the rest of your number one," I continued, "it would be true only if it weren't for the fact that you hate studying."

"As your enemy and lower being I find it shocking that you know so much about me."

I ignored her. "What's reason number two?" I asked her. "Wishing for a repeat of Saturday night?"

"_Sure,_" she said viciously.

"Sure?"

"Reason number two," she continued quickly. "Is that contrary to what you think: it is _not _that I want anything to happen like... like that. It's that I do not like you. I'm sure you can appreciate not wanting to be around people you don't like. You've seemed to employ this reasoning remarkably well ever since school began."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked. "Are you, perhaps…?" I squinted at her closely, very interested in her answer. "Are you perhaps _disappointed_ that we haven't really gotten to talk, Sakura?"

"How you could come up with that when I have just told you I dislike you, I don't know. But it's quite ridiculous," she replied. "_You_'re quite ridiculous. We haven't been talking _at all_."

"We have."

"If you're referring to the times were you pulled a prank, made fun of me, or was tormenting me or Hayden in any other way, sorry to disappoint you Hyuuga, that is _not_ talking." She snorted.

"Touchy," I said, not trying to hide the disgust from showing on my face. "And don't talk about Gayden."

"Well, I do think about Hayden a lot more often than I think about you," she said. That had to be a lie.

"Right," I snorted.

"What?" she said a moment later, a smile lurking around her lips. I frowned deeper. "It's true! Hayden has actually helped me out _a lot_ with my biology test this year. He's a _darling_ boy-."

I ran a hand through my hair in annoyance. "Look, I don't care about your love life with Hayden, Geeky. Just don't-"

"He's a _darling_ boy," Sakura repeated ignoring me. "Absolutely _smashing._"

"I don't give a fuck about that, all right! So stop talking about him!"

"Well, that was the point wasn't it?" she asked. "For you to want to leave."

"Who said anything about leaving?" I drawled quickly regaining my coolness. "I'm not leaving."

"Oh dear me," Sakura mocked. "Well. If you won't leave, Hyuuga, at least allow me to tell you reason number three."

I looked at her suspiciously. "No talk of Gayden," I ordered, grabbing onto her left hand and adding a slight pressure. It was to warn her but it only felt like an excuse to touch her. Again. She looked down slowly, appearing surprised by my sudden audacity when it came to matters of personal space.

"Swear, or I'll do something you'll regret." It was meant to sound threatening but came out as suggestive instead.

"Somefink I'll _weegwet_, _huh_?" she said in a baby-ish voice, breaking any tension there might have been between us. "How awwfo!"

I let go of her hand. "Shut it."

She rolled her eyes, then decided belatedly that it might be proactive to do a cursory check of the library for eavesdroppers. I took a quick scan around the room myself, finally realizing the rumours that would spread if anyone saw us together.

The lovely book hags in question seemed to be patrolling another area, because I couldn't see anyone, so I were in luck this time.

Sakura resolved to talk quieter. "Reason number three," she said turning back, "is this: I need time by myself to get mentally prepared for our session tomorrow. Spending time with you actually takes a lot of energy. I always feel tired when they let me off."

I chose not to comment on her statement other than offering her an uncaring snort. "Ah, yes," I said annoyed. "Sessions starts up again tomorrow…" Just that afternoon I had received a note from an overly chirpy Naru informing me of a new session talking place at 8 pm the following night.

"Yes. That's exactly what I said. I hope you've had sufficient time to prepare yourself for the horror?"

"Have _you_ had time to prepare yourself for the horror?" I bantered.

-.

**Mikan**

"I've written up a guideline sheet, yes," I replied. "But the real preparation will come in when you leave and I have time again to concentrate on relaxing. So, if you please…" I waved Natsume away again. When he refused to budge, I added, "you're crushing my papers, Natty."

"So stuck up these days!" Natsume commented with a sneer. "Way too fiery."

"Ew," I said. "Hyuuga, stop being silly."

"I wasn't-."

"The day I feel like listening to you call me fiery is the day I die."

"That's your call." He shrugged.

"And I am not _stuck up_. I just have an opinion which I expressed," I informed him.

Natsume nodded. "A stuck up opinion."

"Is this really what you wanted?" I asked him tiredly. "To come in here and yap at me? Don't you have better things to do? Don't you and your friends have some power display to finish up?"

"I don't…_yap,_" Natsume snapped rudely. "I'm talking in a calm and dignified manner, yeah?"

I snorted.

"Pull the oth-."

"One suited to my social ranking," he continued in a mocking manner. I fumed inside as I had been caught off guard by his 'social ranking' jab. It had been a while since he had used that against me. "And Ruka and I do indeed have a little something to finish up. Which is why I'm in here now, talking to you. I need you to cover for me, Sakura."

I felt my blood run cold. "No," I said. "No." Relax, Mikan. He has no power over you. "I won't do it. Whatever it is. So you can just st-."

"Why do you sound so dismal?" Natsume interrupted. "Don't you want to rise a bit on the Ladder of Social Ranking?"

"Uh, no," I told him. "What would make you think that I did?"

"Right," sighed Natsume. "I should have known. The geeky girl never cared for things such as popularity, eh?" He was mocking me.

Catching sight of someone tottering along in my periphery, I dropped my voice down to a whisper. "I'm not following you," I said, confusion mixed with a good amount of paranoia in my voice. "And by the way, is the Great _Natsume Hyuuga_ really asking me for a favour?"

He grunted.

"Oh, you _are_," I mocked a shocked look. "It must be hard for you to swallow your pride and, you know, get down on your knees and beg me for forgiveness."

"Sakura," he snapped. "Shut. Up. _Now_."

"Oh, you weren't even thinking of saying sorry, were you? You honestly just came waltzing in here thinking I'd do you a favour?" I stared at him in disbelief. "Why do you want me to cover for you anyway?"

Natsume, going back to his usual self, raised a superior brow at me. "You'll just have to see, won't you?"

"Uh, no," I said again. "No, Hyuuga, I won't have to see, because I'm not doing it. So why don't you just tell me what the 'little thing' is now, and I'll say 'no,' and you can leave, defeated, and we'll both be merry? How 'bout it?" I asked. "Sound like a plan? It sounds like a plan to me."

Natsume shook his head. "Nah, don't like it," he said sounding like a child.

He scooted his seat closer making the wooden posts squeak against the floor.

"_Hyuuga__,_" I warned. "St-."

"Oh, calm down, little girl," he said patronizingly. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Where's_ your _sense?_" _I asked him. "Got swallowed up by your stupidity, did it?"

Natsume chuckled lightly. If I weren't so angry I would have been flabbergasted. "Told you you were stuck up. An feisty."

Silence followed as I felt myself getting mesmerized by those laughing twinkles in his scarlet orbs. I hadn't seen them before. Not when he looked at me anyway.

God... This whole thing about me fancying him, this _fantasy_ I had let myself indulge in, the idea that he'd ever care about me like that... it wasn't ever going to happen, for God's Sake. I already knew that.

I tried to swallow the sudden lump that had formed in throat. "I think what would be most fair in this situation is if you were to leave." I paused. "…And never come back."

He snorted. "Can't really do that, geeky since we have-"

"Except for the sessions," I added. "Except for that."

For a long, long moment, Natsume stared at me. "You're a fucking weirdo," he said finally. "It's a wonder you even have _some_ friends. Even if they're gay."

"Whatever, Hyuuga. If I cared about what you said I would have been crying my eyes out long time ago."

"That's clever," he drawled and stood, leaving the seat with my crushed papers. I picked up my pen and began scribbling furiously, refusing to look at him. "Damn, I hate your guts," he added.

Forcing my voice not to shake, "Likewise, Hyuuga."

He kept standing there for a moment like he wasn't sure how to react to my sudden change in demeanour but I kept my eyes firmly fixated on my biology notes. Finally, he stalked off with a nonchalance like he couldn't be bothered.

As soon as Natsume was safely out of sight I realized I couldn't focus on my notes properly, my eyes watering and turning into big fat tears that ran down my cheeks. I tried to wipe them but they came faster and more, falling on the paper and smearing the words written there.

Of course, I cared what he said.

-.

**A/N: Soooo... this was very Mikan-centric. But since she's the one with the least emotional scars naturally she must be more in contact with her feelings and therefore more likely to notice them. **

**By the way, what did you guys think of the scene with Koko and Sumire?**

**Post a review and make my day!**


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